Indian Navy to get 26 Rafale Jets; Govt Inks A Rs 63,000 Cr Deal

New Delhi: India on Monday signed a landmark Rs 63,000 crore government-to-government deal with France to buy 26 Rafale-Marine fighter jets which will give added punch to the Indian Navy, amid growing security concerns over China flexing its maritime muscle in the Indo-Pacific region.

The procurement will proceed under an Inter-Governmental Agreement, ensuring direct deliveries without any intermediaries. The deal has been signed for 22 single-seater jets and four twin-seater trainers, with deliveries expected to be completed by 2031.

The signing of the agreement comes close on the heels of the final approval for the deal by the Cabinet Committee on Security’s (CCS), chaired by PM Narendra Modi, on April 9. The 26 Rafale-M jets for the Navy, manufactured by Dassault Aviation of France , are expected to be delivered within 37 to 65 months. The delivery of all the planes is scheduled to be completed by 2030-31, a senior official said.

The Rafale procurement will include weapons, simulators, spares, associated ancillary equipment, crew training and logistics support for the Indian Navy from the French government.