The Indian Navy will receive 26 Rafale fighter aircraft from France for aircraft carrier operations. The intergovernmental agreement between India and France was signed today, as the company writes in a press release.
The contract follows the selection of the "Rafale Marine" for the Indian Navy, which was announced in July 2023. This is the first time that aircraft of this type will be delivered to a user outside France, as Dassault explains. The aircraft won an international competition.
According to press reports, the order is worth around 7.5 billion US dollars. The government-to-government contract includes 22 single-seat and four two-seat aircraft, weapons, simulators, crew training services and multi-year logistical support. According to the Times of India, the aircraft are to be delivered between 37 and 65 months after the contract is signed. Accordingly, the last Rafale would be delivered in 2031. It is scheduled to be deployed on the Indian aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.
The Rafale Marine will provide the Indian armed forces with state-of-the-art capabilities and the Indian Navy will benefit from the experience of the French Navy, Dassault writes. The company has already delivered 36 Rafale aircraft to the Indian Air Force.
According to Indian media, the latest contract also includes a technology transfer for the integration of Indian weapons. Furthermore, the establishment of a production line for Rafale fuselages as well as facilities for the maintenance, repair and overhaul of engines, sensors and weapons in India is also planned. India expects this to create several thousand jobs.
In the press release, Dassault underlines the company's determination to put its presence in India at the service of Indian interests through its contribution to the 'Make in India' policy and the 'Skill India' initiative.
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