France Holds Second Place in the World in Arms Exports: Rafale Becomes the Locomotive of the Defense Industry

According to data presented to the French parliament and published by The EurAsian Times, the value of France's defense orders in 2025 reached 21.2 billion euros. This figure is lower than the 2024 value (21.6 billion euros) and is the third highest in the country's history: the all-time record was set in 2022 at 26.9 billion euros, largely thanks to the United Arab Emirates' order for 80 Rafale fighters. Nevertheless, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), France accounted for 9.8% of the global market for major conventional arms exports between 2021 and 2025, cementing its second-place position behind the United States, while the total volume of French arms exports grew by 21% compared to the 2016–2020 period.

Records, Statistics, and the Structure of Orders

In 2025, Paris signed numerous defense contracts covering a wide range of weapons: from submarines, warships, helicopters and armored vehicles to artillery and missiles. Indonesia ordered two Scorpène Evolved submarines, Greece purchased a frigate, Morocco — Caracal helicopters, Belgium and Luxembourg — equipment under the Scorpion program, Slovenia and Croatia — Caesar artillery guns, while Romania, Denmark and Cyprus — Mistral air-defense missiles. However, the fighter jet Rafale made the largest contribution to the overall result, which, according to the French Ministry of Armed Forces, effectively meets the current and future needs of customers and helps maintain the domestic production chain.

Rafale — the Locomotive of French Exports

Jet sales have risen sharply against the backdrop of heightened geopolitical tensions and increased defense spending in many countries. As of July 2026, Dassault Aviation has received orders for 208 Rafale fighters, including 165 from foreign customers and 43 from France. The company is ramping up production to meet demand while simultaneously developing the F4 and F5 variants. Dassault CEO Eric Trappier stated that the Rafale F5 will be equipped with more powerful engines, enhanced survivability, and an improved data-link system, and will also be able to operate alongside unmanned aerial vehicles weighing more than 10 tons.

India: Potentially the Largest Deal in History

In 2025, India is set to become the largest customer of French military products: the volume of orders is estimated at approximately 6.9 billion euros, accounting for nearly a third of total exports. The key factor is the contract to purchase 26 Rafale Marine fighters for the Indian Navy's aviation, valued at roughly 7.5 billion dollars — this is the first export of the carrier-based version of the Rafale. In May 2026, New Delhi sent France an official request to purchase additional fighters for the Indian Air Force, and on July 29 Paris forwarded this proposal to the Indian Ministry of Defense, paving the way for negotiations. It is expected that around 20 aircraft will be produced and delivered in France, while the rest may be built in India; the deal is valued at approximately 35 billion dollars. If signed, this would become the largest Rafale export contract in history and make India the largest operator of these aircraft outside France.

Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, and Other Potential Customers

Ukraine also plans to purchase up to 16 Rafale fighters: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Kyiv will begin training pilots and technicians in France this year before receiving the first aircraft. Meanwhile, reports indicate that Saudi Arabia was considering purchasing 54 Rafale fighters, but interest apparently waned after Washington approved the possible sale of F-35 fighters to Riyadh. Indonesia has not yet decided on purchasing additional aircraft beyond the 42 already ordered, while Morocco is once again showing interest in the Rafale, and Colombia and Iraq have previously also expressed interest in this aircraft.

Contradictory Data

There are discrepancies in the sources regarding the scale of 2025. RFI, for instance, describes French arms exports as having once again reached a "record-high level," whereas the data from The EurAsian Times presented to parliament indicates that 21.2 billion euros is the third highest figure in history, lower than both 2024 (21.6 billion euros) and the 2022 record (26.9 billion euros). The differences are likely due to different calculation methods and time periods. In addition, the reporting windows cited in SIPRI's public materials vary: one report covers 2019–2023 (where Russia ceded second place in the list of exporters to France), while the 9.8% figure cited in the March report refers to the 2021–2025 period. In both cases, France consistently holds second place behind the United States, although the exact share figures and periods do not always match across publications.