India signs up for 26 more Rafale fighter jets: What’s the deal?
India has formally inked deal worth $7.4 billion with France for the procurement of 26 Rafale M fighter jets for the Indian Navy. Deliveries to begin from mid-2028.
In a significant repeat order for Dassault Rafale fighter aircrafts for armed forces, India has recently signed a procurement deal worth ₹64,000 crore ($7.4 billion) with France. The order includes 26 Rafale M jets for deployment with the Indian Navy, along with simulation and logistics support for the new jets and additional equipment for the existing fleet with the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The new fighter jets are expected to be delivered from mid-2028 onwards, likely to extend up to 2030. The agreement also seeks technology transfer for the integration of locally-developed weaponry on to the Rafales. A fuselage assembling unit and MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) facilities for the said aircrafts are also envisaged under the latest deal.
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The Rafale M (Marine) variant is very similar to the Rafale C jets that are currently operated by the IAF. For better operations from aircraft carriers (warships), the Rafale M boasts certain modifications including CATOBAR (Catapult-Assisted Take-off Barrier Arrested Recovery) system compatibility. The ‘M’ jets also weighs some 500 kgs more than Rafale C, thanks to strengthened airframes, longer nose-gear leg and tailhooks.
Notably, 22 of the new lot of Rafale M will be single-seat variants, similar to the IAF Rafales. The remaining 4 jets will be twin-seater trainer jets that are not compatible for aircraft carrier operations. All Rafale jets are powered by twin Snecma M88-4e turbofan engines with afterburner. Maximum speed of the Rafale M is 1.8 Mach, with supercruising (without the use of afterburner) at 1.4 Mach.
The Indian Navy is currently operating a fleet of MiG-29K fighter jets, supported by two aircraft carriers INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant. These Russian jets are nearing their replacement ages, also plagued with higher maintenance costs and unease in quick availability of spares. Two jets were considered for fresh procurement – Dassault Rafale M and Boeing F-18 Super Hornet. In 2023, Rafale M was adjudged as the winner by the Union Ministry of Defence.
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Serious allegations were levelled against the previous Rafale deal by India. This included inflated pricing, bypassing of HAL and absence of strong clauses on tech transfer and favoritism toward the Reliance Defence. It is in this backdrop that the latest repeat order for Rafale jets for Indian Navy is following suit.
