India Signs Deal to Procure 26 Rafale Marine Fighter Aircraft

• 30 Apr 2025

On 28th April 2025, India signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) with France to procure 26 Rafale Marine fighter aircraft, aimed at strengthening the Indian Navy’s air capabilities.

• The agreement was signed in New Delhi by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and French Minister of Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu.

Key Points

• Aircraft Details: India will procure 22 single-seater and 4 double-seater Rafale Marine aircraft, customized for Indian Navy requirements, with deliveries scheduled by 2030.
• Agreement Scope: The deal includes training, a simulator, associated equipment, weapons, and performance-based logistics support.
• Technology Transfer: The agreement enables the transfer of technology for integrating indigenous weapons and establishing production and MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) facilities for fuselages, engines, sensors, and weapons.
• Impact on Industry: Expected to generate thousands of jobs and revenue for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in India.
• Deployment: The Rafale Marine fighters will be deployed on aircraft carriers like INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant, enhancing naval strike power.
• Advanced Capabilities: Manufactured by Dassault Aviation, the Rafale-Marine features combat-proven performance in maritime operations and will be equipped with cutting-edge weapon systems and missiles.