New Delhi: In an announcement on Saturday, the central government revealed its decision to select Rafale fighters for the Indian Navy, providing the naval forces with state-of-the-art combat jets. French aerospace company Dassault Aviation confirmed that 26 Rafale fighters will be added to the existing fleet of 36 advanced fighters already in service.
Dassault Aviation stated, ” This decision comes after a successful trial campaign held in India, during which the Navy Rafale demonstrated that it fully met the Indian Navy’s operational requirements and was perfectly suited to the specificities of its aircraft carrier,”
The India Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) on Thursday for the procurement of 26 Rafale Marine aircraft for the Indian Navy. During the same meeting, DAC also approved the procurement of three additional Scorpene submarines under the Buy (Indian) category. These submarines will be constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL).
According to the Ministry of Defence, the Acceptance of Necessity for the Rafale Marine aircraft, along with associated equipment, weaponry, simulators, spare parts, documentation, crew training, and logistic support, has been approved by the French Government based on the Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA).
The Ministry stated that the purchase price and other terms will be negotiated with the French government, taking into consideration various factors, including the comparative procurement prices of similar aircraft by other nations.
Moreover, following negotiations, the contract documents will incorporate the integration of Indian-designed equipment and the establishment of a Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) Hub for various systems.
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