India Clears Rs 63,000 Crore Deal For 26 Rafale Marine Fighter Jets

In a landmark decision, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Tuesday (8 April) approved India's largest-ever fighter jet acquisition, greenlighting the purchase of 26 Rafale Marine combat aircraft from France for the Indian Navy, ANI reported.

The deal, valued at over Rs 63,000 crore, will be executed via a government-to-government agreement, according to government sources cited by ANI.

The contract includes 22 single-seater and four twin-seater Rafale Marine jets, alongside an extensive package covering fleet maintenance, logistical support, personnel training, and indigenous manufacturing components under offset obligations.

Deliveries are expected to commence roughly five years after the signing of the agreement.

These 4.5 generation carrier-borne fighter jets are set to be deployed on INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenously-built aircraft carrier, significantly enhancing naval airpower.

They will operate alongside the existing MiG-29K fleet, which will continue flying from INS Vikramaditya.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) already maintains 36 Rafale jets across its Ambala and Hashimara bases.

The Marine variant will further strengthen the Indian Armed Forces’ operational capabilities.

The deal is expected to include upgrades to the “buddy-buddy” aerial refuelling system, allowing approximately 10 Rafale jets to refuel others mid-air, thereby extending their range and endurance.

The deal may also include ground-based equipment and software enhancements for the existing IAF fleet.

The Indian Navy will be required to equip its carriers with specialised hardware to support Rafale M operations.

Meanwhile, the Navy’s long-term vision includes inducting indigenous fifth-generation fighter jets, currently under development by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

This twin-engine deck-based fighter is expected to be the naval counterpart of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) designed for the Air Force.

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