India inks ₹64,000 crore deal with France to buy 26 Rafale jets for Indian Navy

India, on Monday, April 28, signed an intergovernmental agreement to buy 26 naval variants of the Rafale fighter jet from France for nearly ₹64,000 crore for the Indian Navy, reported the news agency PTI. 

Indian Defence Secretary RK Singh and Indian Navy's Vice Admiral K Swaminathan were present on Monday, when the two sides exchanged the agreement, according to the report. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was also reportedly present at the signing ceremony.

After the new aircraft delivery, these brand new Rafales for the Indian Navy will join the existing aircraft fleet, bringing the total number of Rafale aircraft in India up to 36. The Indian government earlier acquired 10 Rafale jets in an effort to modernise its military equipment, reported the news agency AFP.

As per the media reports, the new jets, which will be procured from Dassault Aviation, will be deployed on board India's INS Vikrant aircraft carrier. 

Delivery schedule of the Rafale jets?

As per the terms of the agreement, Dassault Aviation is set to deliver the 26 Rafale jets starting nearly five years after signing the contract, i.e. from the year 2030.

In July 2023, the Ministry of Defence approved the mega acquisition, which directs that the Indian Navy will also receive ancillary equipment, including weapon systems and spares, from the French defence equipment maker.

The deal also states that Dassault Aviation will also provide the weapon systems and spare parts for India to manufacture the marine version of the Rafale aircraft, according to the news report. 

Rafale Jet

Rafale is a twin-jet aircraft which is able to operate from both an aircraft carrier and a shore base. The aircraft is capable of reaching a top speed of 750 knots and needs a 450 m runway to successfully land without a drag chute, according to the data collected from the official website.

The company data also shows that the fighter aircraft has a service ceiling of 50,000 feet.