India strengthens navy purchasing 26 Rafale fighters from France - Bloomberg
Photo: Rafale jets to be based on aircraft carrier INS Vikrant (Getty Images)
India has signed a deal to purchase 26 Rafale Marine fighter jets from France. The agreement will strengthen the country’s naval presence and its surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean, according to Bloomberg.
The deal is valued at $7.4 billion. It includes four two-seat training aircraft, as well as maintenance for 36 Rafale jets that India purchased for its Air Force back in 2016. The remaining 22 fighters are single-seat models.
The jets will be based on the Indian-built Navy aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. Currently, India operates an aging fleet of Russian-made MiG-29K fighters, stationed on the country’s second aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya.
The new French fighter jets are expected to strengthen India's naval forces at a time when the country seeks to counterbalance China in the Indian Ocean region, home to critical global trade routes.
According to Bloomberg, the fighter jet deal has been a key topic in bilateral talks since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France in 2023.
Earlier, in January 2024, Reuters reported that India and France agreed to jointly manufacture military equipment, including helicopters and submarines, for India’s armed forces and allied nations.
Previously, India had been heavily reliant on arms imports from Moscow, but is now increasingly sourcing weapons from Western countries.
