Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Apr 27: India and France are set to formalize a landmark defence agreement on Monday for the acquisition of 26 Rafale fighter jets to bolster the Indian Navy’s air power, the Ministry of Defence confirmed.

Valued at approximately Rs 63,000 crore, the deal includes 22 single-seater Rafale-M jets and four twin-seater trainer variants. Defence officials said the new additions would significantly enhance the operational capabilities of India’s naval fleet.

Initially, French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu was slated to visit New Delhi to ink the deal in person. However, due to personal reasons, he will now participate via video conferencing. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, along with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and French Ambassador Thierry Mathou, will oversee the signing ceremony.

The contract, which received clearance from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also includes provisions for fleet maintenance, logistics support, personnel training, and domestic production of certain components under offset obligations.

Deliveries are expected to commence around 2028–29, with the full batch anticipated by 2031–32. The fighter jets will operate from India's aircraft carriers, INS Vikramaditya and the indigenous INS Vikrant, providing a vital boost to naval strike capabilities.

Currently, the Indian Air Force already operates a fleet of Rafale aircraft, and the Navy’s acquisition marks a significant extension of the platform’s presence in India's defence architecture.

In a related development, the Navy successfully conducted an anti-ship missile firing drill over the weekend. Additionally, following heightened security concerns after the Pahalgam attack, the Navy also test-fired a medium-range surface-to-air missile from INS Surat in the Arabian Sea, showcasing its operational readiness.