India’s Defence Ministry is advancing its indigenisation strategy for the acquisition of 114 Rafale aircraft, aiming for 50% local content, rejecting minimal localisation approaches of 10-15%. Dassault Aviation has proposed up to 60% indigenous content, planning local assembly and production of key components. This transformative initiative aligns with India’s broader self-reliance objectives and aims to enhance domestic capabilities in aerospace manufacturing. The program highlights the need for technical knowledge transfer and stringent quality standards, crucial for establishing a robust aerospace ecosystem that can support future defense aviation programs. The collaboration with Dassault signifies a pivotal shift towards substantial domestic participation, reinforcing India’s strategic autonomy in defense manufacturing.