Centre Selects 26 Navy Rafale after an Impressive Trial Performance
Written by Sanjay Kumar
News highlights
- Indian Navy selects Navy Rafale for its latest-generation fighter fleet, adding 26 aircraft to join the existing 36 already in service.
- India announces multi-billion-dollar deal for French fighter jets and submarines during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Paris.
- Indian-piloted Rafales participate in France’s Bastille Day military parade, highlighting India’s close cooperation with France in defense matters.
On Saturday (July 15), the Indian government made an announcement regarding the selection of the Navy Rafale as the latest-generation fighter for the Indian Navy. According to Dassault Aviation, the Indian Navy will receive 26 Rafale aircraft, which will join the existing fleet of 36 Rafale already in service.
The decision to choose the Navy Rafale followed a successful trial campaign conducted in India. During this campaign, the Navy Rafale demonstrated its ability to fully meet the operational requirements of the Indian Navy and proved to be well-suited for the specific needs of its aircraft carrier.
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day trip to Paris, India announced a new multi-billion-dollar deal for French fighter jets on Thursday (July 13). This visit coincided with France’s national day celebrations, where Modi was honored as a guest.
The defense ministry of India stated that the country intends to purchase an additional 26 Rafale jets and three Scorpene-class submarines. However, the details regarding the price and other terms of the deal are still being finalized.
India has been a significant buyer of French arms, as evidenced by a landmark deal in 2015 when Modi signed an agreement for the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets worth approximately 4.0 billion euros at that time, according to AFP reports.
During France’s Bastille Day military parade, some of the Indian-piloted Rafales participated in a flypast. Modi, as the guest of honor, sat alongside French President Emmanuel Macron during the parade.
In addition to the fighter jet deal, India is also in the process of procuring new French warplanes and submarines. The country played a prominent role in France’s Bastille Day celebrations, where Indian troops marched down the Champs-Elysees. The two countries further solidified their cooperation through various agreements during Modi’s visit, which included a banquet at the Louvre and a powerful speech delivered by the Indian Prime Minister to the Indians in Europe.
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The most significant development involves a preliminary accord made by India to purchase an additional 26 Rafale fighter jets and three more Scorpene submarines, manufactured by France and Spain. This procurement is in addition to the previous deal for 36 Rafales and six Scorpenes. The details regarding the pricing are still pending and need to be resolved.
