India has signed a contract to buy 26 Rafale Combat aircraft in France for its Navy, the New Delhi Ministry of Defense said on Monday, with the multimillion -dollar agreement to include individual and twin airplanes.
“We have signed the agreement for 26 Rafale aircraft,” said a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense of India AFP.
When they were delivered, the Jets would join 36 French -made Rafale fighters already acquired by New Delhi as part of their efforts to quickly modernize their military hardware.
The Indian government first announced its intention to obtain 26 raphales in 2023, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited France for Bastille Day celebrations.
The airplanes made by the French Aerospace Company Dassault Aviation operate from the aircraft carriers made in India, replacing the Russian APPI-29K aircraft.
“The Rafale-Marine is a plane ready for combat transmitted by the carrier with operational capabilities proven in a maritime environment. The delivery of these aircraft will be completed by 2030, with the crew under training in France and India,” said the statement of the Indian Ministry of Defense.
Indian media reports suggest that the agreement would include training, teams, weapons and other logistical support for the Indian Army.
Despite historical ties with Russia as its key supplier for military teams, India has diversified with key purchases, including France, as well as the United States and Israel.
It also marks another step in the dependence of India in French military hardware, including Mirage 2000 aircraft bought in the 1980s and the scorpian class submarines ordered in 2005.
Additional Reuters entry.
