India Gets Rafale Boost, Deal Cleared For 26 Navy Fighters | Read
India will buy 26 Rafale M fighter jets - i.e., the marine variants - for the Navy in a record government-to-government deal worth over Rs 63,000 crore, sources told NDTV Tuesday.
These will be the first major fighter jet upgrade for the country's naval forces. The purchase had been first considered in July 2023, when the Defence Ministry contacted its French counterpart.
The deal will also include a comprehensive package for fleet maintenance, logistical support, personnel training, and indigenous manufacturing of components under offset obligations.
The agreements will likely be signed later this month, when French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu visits India. Deliveries are expected five years after the deal is confirmed, sources said.
