CCS clears 26 Rafale-M for Navy in Rs 63,000 cr, biggest-ever jet deal

These French fighter jets will be deployed on INS Vikrant, India's first indigenous aircraft carrier

In India’s largest-ever fighter jet acquisition, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Wednesday cleared the purchase of 26 Rafale Marine combat aircraft worth over Rs 63,000 crore from France for the Indian Navy, according to government sources.

 

The acquisition will be executed under a government-to-government agreement with France, with the approval of the CCS, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, being the final step before the deal’s formal signing, which is likely to take place later this month.

 

Deliveries are expected to begin around three-and-a-half years after contract signing and be completed in about six-and-a-half years from now.

 

The contract covers 22 single-seater jets capable of operating from an aircraft carrier and four twin-seat trainers. Manufactured by French aerospace company Dassault Aviation, these fighters are slated to be deployed on INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier.

  They will complement the Navy’s existing fleet of Russian-origin MiG-29K jets, which also operate from the Navy’s only other carrier, the older Russian-origin INS Vikramaditya, and have faced serviceability challenges. The Indian Air Force (IAF) already operates 36 Rafale aircraft, purchased under a ₹60,000 crore inter-governmental contract signed in September 2016.

 

In July 2023, the Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, accorded Acceptance of Necessity for procuring Rafale Marine jets and three additional Scorpene-class (Kalvari) diesel-electric attack submarines.

 

Unlike the inter-governmental deal for the Navy jets, the around ₹35,000 crore follow-on Scorpene contract, which will be signed between state-run Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) and Naval Group of France, is awaiting CCS clearance.

 

The three additional conventional submarines will also be built in collaboration with the original equipment manufacturer, Naval Group, as with the earlier batch of six submarines of the same class, built by MDL under 'Project 75' and now operational with the Navy.

 

India is also developing an indigenous naval combat jet, the Twin Engine Deck-Based Fighter (TEDBF). However, with the TEDBF expected to take at least a decade to materialise, the Rafale Marine jets will fill the gap in the interim.