More Rafale fighters for India? Dassault hopes to start talks by year end

French defence major looks to clinch Navy tender for 57 planes and follow-on order for IAF

French planemaker Dassault Aviation SA hopes to start talks with India by the end of the year for additional sales of its Rafale fighter jet, before full negotiations in 2018, Chief Executive Eric Trappier said in Geneva on Sunday.

In India, where Dassault Aviation signed a long-awaited contract for 36 Rafale fighter jets in September 2016, Trappier said it was working on an additional order for the air force as well as a tender for 57 planes for the navy.

Boeing is also competing the Indian naval deal.

"There is no negotiation, we are not there yet: we are waiting for a one-to-one discussion," Trappier said, hoping to start talks this year before full-fledged negotiations in 2018. 

He also said the company was awaiting more information on Canada's search for fighter planes.

Canada said on Thursday it was reviewing plans to buy military equipment from Boeing Co after the US planemaker launched a trade complaint alleging that Canada's Bombardier Inc had dumped jets into the US market.

In November, Canada said it wanted to buy 18 Boeing Super Hornets as a stopgap measure while it prepared a competition to replace its ageing fleet of fighter jets.

According to industry sources, the Canadian government has also held talks with Eurofighter, Lockheed Martin and Saab.

"We are in a phase where I do not know (...) if they are still in a tender in which we are a part or if they are negotiating on a one-to-one basis," Trappier told Reuters on the sidelines of the Ebace business aviation fair.