Dassault 'optimistic' on Rafale talks with India

India had selected the Rafale to enter exclusive negotiations for a potential 126-plane order in late January

Talks between French plane-maker Dassault Aviation and India over a $15 billion Rafale fighter contract are continuing, Dassault's chief executive said, adding he was "relatively optimistic".

India selected the Rafale to enter exclusive negotiations for a potential 126-plane order in late January, beating the competing Eurofighter Typhoon and lifting hopes for a sale that would boost French pride and restore the luster of its aviation industry.

"We are deep in talks at the moment. It's a complicated country, the negotiations are tough, but there is a desire to wrap up on both sides," CEO Charles Edelstenne told a parliamentary hearing on Tuesday.

"I'm relatively optimistic."

Edelstenne also said that growing public speculation over a change at the top for subsidiary Thales - which he described as an "eventual change in governance" - was having an impact on talks with clients and making them more difficult.