India approves Rs 63,000 crore Rafale Marine Jet deal with France to strengthen Navy

Rafale Marine deal India: The Indian Navy is soon going to get the strength of state-of-the-art Rafale Marine Jets. New Delhi: The government has approved a Rs 63,000 crore deal to purchase 26 Rafale Marine fighter jets from France. The decision will significantly boost the Navy's maritime warfare capability.The Indian government has approved a crucial inter-governmental defence deal with France, under which 26 Rafle marine fighter jets will be procured for the Indian Navy. The deal is worth around Rs 63,000 crore and will be formalised in the coming weeks. With this decision, India is taking a major step towards taking its Navy's strategic capabilities to new heights. Under this deal, Rafale Marine jets will be deployed on India's two major aircraft carriers – INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya. This will give the Navy state-of-the-art air power in the sea and the ageing MiG-29K aircraft can be completely phased out by 2031.

22 single-seater and 4 twin-seater Rafale will be added

According to sources, the deal will include 22 single-seater and 4 twin-seater Rafale Marine fighter jets. It also includes fleet maintenance, logistic support, training of naval personnel and supply of critical components associated with indigenous manufacturing under offset obligations.

Cabinet Security Committee approved

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its formal approval to the deal. This step is considered to be very important in strengthening India's maritime security strategy.

Rafale Marine Jet

The Rafale Marine jet is the carrier-based version of the Rafale fighter aircraft equipped with state-of-the-art avionics, weapon systems and multi-functional operational capabilities. It has been specially designed to suit the needs of the Navy including Short Take-Off Butt Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) technology.

Deliveries will begin in 2029

According to sources, the delivery of the Rafale marine fighter jets is likely to begin in around four years. The Navy is expected to receive the first batch by the end of 2029 and the entire fleet will be inducted by 2031. With this, these jets on INS Vikrant and Vikramaditya will become fully operational.

Direct deal with French company Dassault Aviation

The deal is being done through the inter-governmental route, which will ensure timely delivery and reliable maintenance. Through this deal, the French company Dassault Aviation will also provide necessary technical and strategic support to the Indian Navy.