India, France ink Rs 63,000-crore Rafale jet deal for navy

French Rafale fighter jets at the Mormugao Port, in Goa. Pic/AFP

India and France on Monday inked an intergovernmental agreement to procure 26 naval variants of Rafale fighter jets at a cost of Rs 63,000 crore for the Indian Navy. The pact was sealed at a virtual event.

India is procuring the jets from French defence major Dassault Aviation for deployment on board aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was present at the signing ceremony. The sealing of the mega deal came three weeks after the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi cleared the procurement. Under the terms of reference, the delivery of the jets will have to start around five years after signing of the contract.

In July 2023, the defence ministry accorded the initial approval for the mega acquisition following a series of deliberations and evaluation tests of the platform. The government-to-government contract includes 22 single-seater and four twin-seater Rafale (Marine) jets, customised for Indian requirements and carrier integration.

Under the deal, the Indian Navy will also get associated ancillary equipment, including weapon systems and spares from Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer of Rafale (Marine) jets. The contract also encompasses a comprehensive package for maintenance, logistics, training, and indigenous component manufacturing.

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