India and France are set to sign a Rs 63,000 crore deal for 26 Rafale Marine combat aircraft. News agency ANI quoted defence officials and stated the deal is expected to be signed on Monday.
The report also claimed officials from the Indian Defence Ministry and the French Ambassador to India will represent the two sides at the signing event.
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh is likely to represent the Indian side, while the French and Indian defence ministers are expected to attend remotely, the report quoted sources.
Alongside the government-to-government (G2G) agreement, several ancillary government-to-business (G2B) agreements are also expected to be physically inked during the event, further strengthening bilateral defence cooperation.
The 26 Rafale Marine fighter jets are urgently required for deployment on Indian aircraft carriers, particularly INS Vikrant, which is now in service.
The existing fleet of Mig-29 K fighters has reportedly underperformed due to maintenance-related issues.
The Rafale M jets will be customised to meet Indian requirements and will be integrated into INS Vikrant. These carrier-borne fighters are being acquired as a stopgap solution until the development of an indigenous carrier-borne fighter jet is completed.
On April 9, India had cleared its largest-ever defence deal for 26 Rafale Marine combat aircraft during a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The government-to-government contract includes 22 single-seater and four twin-seater jets, along with a comprehensive package for fleet maintenance, logistical support, personnel training, and indigenous component manufacturing.
The Rafale M jets will operate from INS Vikrant and support the existing Mig-29 K fleet.
The Indian Air Force already operates a fleet of 36 Rafale aircraft acquired under a separate deal signed in 2016. These aircraft are based at Ambala and Hasimara.
Source: News18
