According to a statement from the Indian defence ministry, India and France reached an agreement on Monday to purchase 26 Rafale fighter planes for the Indian navy for 630 billion rupees ($7.4 billion). According to the ministry, India would purchase 22 single-seater and four twin-seater fighters from French manufacturer Dassault Aviation, strengthening the Asian nation’s defence relations with its second-largest arms supplier.
“The delivery of these aircraft would be completed by 2030, with the crew undergoing training in France and India,” the ministry said, adding that the deal is expected to generate thousands of jobs and revenue for a large number of businesses. Prime Minister Modi presided over India’s security cabinet, which approved the acquisition earlier this month.
While the navy’s aircraft inventory primarily consists of Russian MiG-29 jets, the Indian Air Force now deploys 36 Rafale fighters. In order to provide forces stationed along its two tense borders with China and Pakistan, India is working to modernise its military, lessen its reliance on equipment of Russian provenance, and increase domestic weapons manufacture.
The Indian navy has flagged China’s growing presence in the Indian Ocean over the past decade, with Beijing operating dual-purpose vessels in the region and maintaining a military base in Djibouti since 2017. It also marks another step in India’s long-standing reliance on French military hardware, including Mirage 2000 jets bought in the 1980s and Scorpene-class submarines ordered in 2005.
