India has signed a contract to acquire 26 Dassault Aviation Rafale M carrier-based fighters, making it the first international buyer for the type’s ‘Marine’ variant.
Signed at the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD’s) headquarters in New Delhi on 28 April, an inter-governmental agreement between the nations seals a purchase which had been approved by India’s Defence Acquisition Council in July 2023.
Dassault says the deal “confirms the Indian authorities’ satisfaction with the aircraft’s capabilities and their desire to broaden the spectrum of its operational use”.
Describing its fighter as “an essential vector of national sovereignty”, the French airframer notes: “The Rafale Marine will provide the Indian armed forces with state-of-the-art capabilities. Along with the 36 Rafale already in service with the Indian air force, the Rafale Marine will play an active role in guaranteeing national sovereignty and consolidating India’s role as a major international player.”
The Indian air force operates its fleet of the multi-role type in the single-seat C- and two-seat B-model standards.
Dassault chief executive Eric Trappier says the new procurement will “contribute to India’s expression of its sovereign power, its strategic challenges and its ambitious vision of the future”.
New Delhi also had evaluated the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Block III before selecting its new carrier-based strike asset. Its navy currently operates the RAC MiG-29K fighter.
