The first Indian Rafale will be armed with MBDA missiles. But India has not yet selected targeting pods or bombs. However, a report suggested that DRDO has developed an advanced and most sought after indigenous weapon targeting system in the world, which sharpens the attack capabilities of fighter jets in all-weather conditions. This device could be integrated both in the Rafale and the TEJAS variants. Laser Designator Pods (LDPs) are complex laser targeting systems used by the military. American firm Lockheed Martin has been developing a cost-effective fibre laser system that will be demonstrated on a fighter jet in 2021. According to sources, DRDO scientists has claimed that their laser designator pod is highly cost-effective and accurate.

In 2019, India should receive its first Rafale. The first unit of an order of 36 fighters. The contract with French manufacturers also includes the supply of MICA and METEOR air-to-air missiles and MBDA's Scalp / Storm Shadow cruise missile.

On the French side, Thales offers the Talios pod, which was qualified on Rafale at the end of 2018 as part of the F3R standard. At the Aero India show, the French manufacturer presented the features and quality of the sensors currently available with the Talios. But Thales also insists on expected changes to the system as part of the F4 Rafale standard which is under development. For example, Talios can be paired with the helmet viewfinder which must be integrated on Rafale F4. Thales also offers a feature called "Permanent Vision" a three-dimensional cartographic representation of the area in which the Rafale operates. This vision indicates in particular the area of ​​sight of the pod. Thales also wants to use artificial intelligence to allow the pod to automatically identify ground targets. Finally, features developed for the Reco-NG pod will be integrated to allow the Talios to also perform reconnaissance missions. This would truly make the Indian Rafale the most advanced and unsurpassable fighter jet complex in the entire Asian continent.

For now the Rafale was sold in Egypt with a French system, but Qatar has chosen the Lockheed Martin Sniper pod.

With regard to air-ground armament, India could choose Safran's A2SM (Modular Air Ground Armament). But Israel has also proposed their armaments such as Rafael's Spice bombs. The Rafale can also carry American GBU guided bomb kits.

The Rafale is offered to the Indian Navy as part of a program to acquire 57 on-board fighters. In this case the device could be equipped with the formidable and very successful AM39 Exocet missiles.

IDN at Aero India 2019