NEW DELHI: India and France on Monday signed a mega Rs 63,000 crore deal to buy 26 Rafale Marine aircraft for the Indian Navy. During the agreement, the Indian side was represented by defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, where Navy Vice chief vice admiral K Swaminathan was present.

The deal, which comes amid the heightened tension between India and Pakistan, was cleared by the PM Modi-led cabinet committee on security earlier this month. The jets will primarily operate from the deck of the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.
The government-to-government contract for the 22 single-seat Rafale-M jets and four twin-seat trainers includes some weapons, simulators, crew training and five-year performance-based logistics support.
The 26 Rafale-M fighters, designed for maritime strike, air defence and reconnaissance missions, will be delivered in 37 to 65 months after inking of the contract, which will involve India paying an initial 15% instalment of the total cost of the deal.
“The new IGA mirrors the one inked in the IAF deal. All the 26 jets are to be delivered by 2031,” an official had told TOI.
More to follow…