November 6, 2012: While the Indian Air Force (IAF) sets its highest hopes on the MMRCA contract being signed this financial year amidst receding chances, Russia, maker of one of the five defeated aircraft in the competition, has said it would be willing to integrate Russian weapons on the Rafale if India so desires. Russia's largest guided weapons house, Korporatsia Takticheskogo Raketnogo Vooruzheniya's (KTBP) Chief Boris Obnosov.

At the recent MAKS 2013 show in Zhukovsky, Obnosov is quoted by the Russian Embassy's Russia and India Report to have said, "These include long, medium- and short-range air-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles, guided aviation bombs and a large spectrum of submarine weapons. By their performance characteristics they are as good as if not better than best Western analogues." While the 18 flyaway aircraft being contracted will come integrated with standard issue weapons build by MBDA and Sagem, the MMRCA tender makes it compulsory for the platform to be capable of taking on missiles specific by the Indian Air Force as well. Sources inform SP's that the IAF hasn't finalised its weapons fit for the Rafale on this option in question.