Greek Rafales with hidden "boosters"

As the relationship between India and France strengthens, there are indications that technological components from India have been integrated into the Dassault Aviation Rafale fighter jets, which were recently delivered to Greece.

This marks a potential milestone in India's role in global defense supply chains and is a step towards becoming a major defense exporter in the next decade, as the country's leadership has set a goal.

So far, neither Dassault nor the Indian Defense Ministry have officially confirmed such an integration, which comes amid expanding cooperation between New Delhi and Paris - a relationship that has blossomed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure since 2014.

India and France have agreements such as the purchase of 36 Rafale fighters for the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 2016, which were fully delivered by 2022, and the upcoming Rs 60,000 crore deal for 26 Rafale Marine fighters for the Indian Navy, which is expected to be completed by mid-2025.

In addition, the company has announced the establishment of a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Noida last year to support India's Rafale and Mirage fleets.

There is a possibility that Indian technological components have been incorporated into the Rafales delivered to Greece, including software, structural parts, and system adaptations such as Astra missiles and the Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW).

These systems have already been integrated into the Indian Air Force's Rafales and are linked to French efforts to expand supply chains as well as the Indian "Make in India" policy.

Regarding the capabilities of the missiles integrated into Greece's Rafales:

Astra Missile: It is an air-to-air missile developed by India, known for its high maneuverability and ability to hit targets with extreme accuracy at long distances.
Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW): This is an advanced surface-to-surface missile designed to effectively destroy enemy airfields and other strategic infrastructure from a safe distance, without requiring direct contact with the target.