India’s Urgent Need for Defense Self-Reliance: Insights from Rafale and Global Examples India’s Rafale acquisition highlights the high costs and dependency on foreign suppliers, who retain source codes to ensure recurring revenues. Examples like F-16 and S-400 underscore these challenges. Indigenization offers strategic autonomy, cost savings, and economic growth, as seen in China’s defense model. India must increase R&D, streamline procurement, and foster partnerships to build a self-reliant defense ecosystem, securing sovereignty and global influence. India’s acquisition of 36 Rafale fighter jets in 2016, followed by 26 Rafale-M for the Indian Navy, has significantly enhanced its defense capabilities. However, the high costs, reliance on foreign suppliers, and challenges in integrating indigenous systems underscore the critical need for India to prioritize defense indigenization. This note explores the strategic, economic, and operational imperatives for self...