India's Cabinet has approved the purchase of 36 Dassault Rafale multi-role fighters from France's Dassault Aviation, ramping-up an arms race against Pakistan as the United States and China watch apprehensively from the sidelines.

The acquisition will have an immediate and dramatic effect on the balance of power on the Indian subcontinent. The Rafales give India a weapon potent enough to carry on the fight against Pakistan's U.S.-made General Dynamics F-16 air superiority fighter jets and the PAC JF-17 Thunder multi-role fighters produced jointly by Pakistan and China.

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Indian media noted the Indian Air Force (IAF) with its Soviet-era aircraft had fallen behind Pakistan and China in modern airpower at a time when China continues its military rise that also benefits Pakistan, China's closest ally in the world.

The new world order in Asia pits India and the United States against Pakistan and China.

India hopes the Rafales, which can carry nuclear weapons, can help address the military imbalance in its favor. Despite the acquisition of the French fighters, the IAF still needs more modern combat aircraft.

The IAF's fighter force still consists of MiGs, mostly obsolete, acquired from the Soviet Union or post Soviet Union Russia. IAF said it needs jets to fill 42 squadrons, 10 squadrons fewer than what it has now.

The Rafales will help fill the gap but numbers count when India has to face both Pakistan and China. India plans to equip the remaining squadrons with F-16s and HAL Tejas single-seat, multi-role light fighters made by India's Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.

Nuclear-armed Rafales in addition to India's new ballistic missiles lend more credibility to India's nuclear deterrent. Dassault will modify India's Rafales to make them nuclear-capable.

French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar met Sept. 23 to finalize the Rafale deal. The sale to India will be the third export deal for the Rafale and the largest since France sold 24 of these fighters to both Egypt and Qatar. 

TagsIndia, Dassault Rafale, Dassault Aviation, Indian Air Force, General Dynamics F-16, PAC JF-17 Thunder, HAL Tejas