NEW DELHI: Further deepening India-France defense ties, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has officially cleared the long-anticipated procurement of 26 Rafale Marine (Rafale-M) fighter jets for the Indian Navy.
The deal marks a significant milestone in Indiaโs efforts to modernize its naval aviation fleet and enhance maritime strike capabilities.
Deal Overview
Under the agreement, India will acquire:
22 Rafale-M single-seater fighter jets
4 Rafale-M twin-seater trainer jets
These jets will be deployed aboard Indiaโs first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier, INS Vikrant, which was commissioned in 2022 and symbolizes Indiaโs Atmanirbhar Bharat push in naval warfare.
The procurement is a government-to-government deal with France, with Dassault Aviation as the manufacturer. The formal contract is expected to be signed soon, following which the first Rafale-M jet will be delivered within four years. All 26 jets are anticipated to be inducted over a phased timeline, with training, infrastructure, and spares being delivered concurrently.
Why Rafale-M?
India had been evaluating two key options for its carrier-based fighter requirement: the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet and the Dassault Rafale-Marine.
After extensive trials, including ski-jump tests at INS Hansa in Goa to simulate operations from INS Vikrant, the Rafale-M emerged as the frontrunner due to its proven multirole performance, logistics compatibility with IAF Rafales, and advanced naval adaptability.
The Rafale-M features:
- Reinforced landing gear for carrier landings
- Tailhooks for arrested recovery
- Enhanced maritime radar and weapon systems
- Compatibility with both catapult and ski-jump carrier systems
These aircraft will replace the ageing fleet of MiG-29K fighters, which have been plagued with maintenance issues and limited service availability.
Strategic Significance
This acquisition is crucial at a time when the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is seeing increased Chinese naval activity, including the regular presence of PLA Navy ships and surveillance vessels. The induction of Rafale-M will give Indiaโs Navy a decisive edge in power projection, air dominance, and multirole maritime strike missions.
INS Vikrant, with a full-load displacement of around 45,000 tons, is designed for Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) operations. The Rafale-M is one of the few naval fighters in the world tested and proven for such conditions.
While the exact value of the deal has not been disclosed, defense sources estimate it to be in the range of โน90,000 crore. The package is expected to include:
- Aircraft
- Weapons package (including Meteor air-to-air missiles, Exocet anti-ship missiles, and SCALP cruise missiles)
- Simulators and training modules
- Ground support equipment
- Maintenance and spares package
- Infrastructure development for carrier integration
A Step Towards Joint Naval-Air Force Synergy
India already operates 36 Rafale jets with the Indian Air Force, inducted between 2020 and 2022. The new naval variant will allow cross-training, shared maintenance ecosystems, and interoperability during joint operations between IAF and Indian Navy, reducing the learning curve and logistics complexity.
Once inducted, the Rafale-M fleet will not only be a major boost for the Navy but also place India among the very few countries in the world operating carrier-based 4.5 generation multirole fighters. The deal is also expected to boost Indo-French defense industrial cooperation, with possibilities of future joint ventures and Make-in-India components in long-term service agreements.
This acquisition marks yet another stride in Indiaโs multi-layered defense strategy โ balancing international partnerships with indigenous capability development โ ensuring the country is well-prepared for the emerging security challenges of the 21st century.
