India and France on Monday inked a defence deal of Rs. 63,0000 crores to acquire 26 Rafale Marine combat aircraft.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was present during the signing ceremony of the government-to-government Rafale contract. This deal is predicted to give an added advantage to the Indian Navy.
India And France Meeting
The Rafale deal was signed at the headquarters of the Defence Ministry at South Block in Delhi, the Indian Navy had informed, according to news agency ANI. The Defence Ministers of both countries were present during the signing remotely.
The French Ambassador to India represented his country, and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh represented India, among other officials.
The intergovernmental Rafale deal was given the green light by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) earlier this month.
The Rafale deal was given the green light earlier this month by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), which was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Additionally, the French Defence Minister, Sebastien Lecornu, was earlier scheduled to attend the inking in person, but his visit was canceled due to personal reasons.
Details Of India-France Rafale Deal
ANI reported that India’s carriers require new combat fighter jets for deployment because the currently existing fleet of MiG-29 K fighters has reportedly underperformed, as there were some issues related to maintenance. The Rafale combat aircraft is expected to be deployed on board INS Vikrant, which is in service.
The deal includes 22 single-seater and four twin-seater Rafale M jets that will be customised for Indian requirements and carrier integration. These carrier-borne fighters are being acquired as a stopgap solution until the development of India’s carrier-borne fighter jet is concluded.
The procurement will proceed under an Inter-Governmental Agreement, ensuring direct deliveries without any intermediaries. The deal for the single-seater jets and twin-seater trainers, with deliveries expected to be completed by 2031.
The fighter jets will be deployed on aircraft carriers INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya, as per IANS.
Apart from acquiring the 26 Rafale fighter jets, the India-France deal also includes training, comprehensive maintenance, logistics, and an indigenous component manufacturing package.
What Is Rafale-M?
IANS reported that the Rafale-M is a multirole fighter jet armed with long-range cruise missiles, AM39 Exocet anti-ship missiles, and the Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, and is deployed from France’s aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.
The fighter jet is equipped with Safran Group’s reinforced landing and also features folding wings, and a reinforced undercarriage to withstand rough sea conditions, deck landing, and tailhooks.
Total Rafale Aircraft in India
The Indian Air Force already operates a fleet of 36 Rafale aircraft based at Ambala and Hasimara. These were acquired by India under a separate deal, which was inked in 2016.
Now, India will have a total of 62 Rafale fighter jets. According to the news agency, this will boost India’s fleet of 4.5-generation fighter aircraft.
