Article Title: India France finalise deal for 23 Rafale M Aircraft
30-04-2025
Defence & Internal Security Current Affairs Analysis
Context
• India and France on Monday formally concluded an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA), valued at nearly ₹64,000 crore, to procure 26 Rafale-M fighter jets for the Indian Navy. Deliveries are set to begin from mid-2028 and likely to be completed by 2030
• The deal includes 22 single-seater Rafale-M jets for carrier operations and 4 twin-seater trainer variants, which are non-carrier compatible.
• The jets are meant to operate from INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant, India’s two operational aircraft carriers.
About Rafale Aircrafts
• Designed and built by Dassault Aviation, a French aerospace company.
• Multi-role, single-seat fighter aircraft with advanced avionics and AESA radar.
• Capable of deep strikes, air defense, reconnaissance, and maritime operations.
• Capable of Sps up to Mach 1.8 and a combat radius exceeding 1000 km.
• Designed for air superiority, ground support, reconnaissance, and anti-ship missions.
• Optimized radar and electronic warfare systems for maritime applications.
• India signed an agreement with France in 2016 for the swift procurement of 36 Rafales to augment the Indian Air Force’s depleting fighter squadrons.
• Rafale C: The single-seat Air Force variant has 75% fleet availability and is designed for high mission reliability.
• Rafale B: The twin-seat variant for training and enhanced situational awareness. It retains the combat capabilities of the C model.
• Rafale M: The naval variant is optimized for carrier operations with a reinforced nose and tail and specially designed landing gear. It equips the French Navy’s aircraft carrier, Charles de Gaulle.
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