India Approves Purchase of 26 Rafale Fighter Jets for Navy

In a significant boost to India’s defence sector, the government has approved a major deal to acquire 26 Rafale Marine fighter jets for the Indian Navy from France, as reported on Wednesday.

IAF's Rafale fighter aircraft (Reuters File Image)

The deal, valued at over Rs 63,000 crore, will be carried out through a government-to-government agreement and is set to be signed soon, according to government sources who spoke to news agency ANI.

“Indian Navy will get 22 single-seater and four twin-seater aircraft as part of the deal," sources said.

The deal will also include a complete package covering fleet maintenance, logistical support, personnel training, and domestic manufacturing components as part of offset obligations, according to the report.

India currently has 36 Rafale jets stationed at Indian Air Force (IAF) bases in Ambala and Hashimara.

When will the first Rafale M Aircraft be delivered?

The report indicates that deliveries of the Rafale M aircraft are set to begin almost five years after the deal is finalized with the French counterpart. These fighter jets will be stationed on INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier, supplementing the Indian Navy’s current MiG-29K fleet.

Meanwhile, the MiG-29Ks will continue to operate from INS Vikramaditya. The introduction of the Rafale Marine fighter aircraft is anticipated to significantly enhance the Navy’s air capabilities.

Additionally, the new Rafale Marine agreement will strengthen the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) operational efficiency by enhancing its “buddy-buddy” mid-air refuelling system. This will allow approximately 10 IAF Rafale jets to refuel other aircraft mid-flight, enabling them to cover longer distances without needing to land.

Defence sources previously shared with ANI that the new deal might also include upgrades to ground-based equipment and software for the IAF’s fleet. Furthermore, the Indian Navy will need to install specialized equipment on its aircraft carriers to facilitate operations of the 4.5-generation Rafale jets.

The Navy is also planning to introduce indigenous fifth-generation fighter aircraft being developed by DRDO.

(This Article was originally published by News 18)