On April 28, 2025, India and France inked a landmark Rs 63,000 crore (approximately €7 billion) government-to-government deal for the procurement of 26 Rafale Marine (Rafale-M) fighter jets for the Indian Navy. The agreement, signed remotely by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu, marks a significant step in bolstering India’s maritime capabilities and deepening the strategic partnership between the two nations. The signing ceremony, held at Nausena Bhawan in Delhi, was presided over by French Ambassador Thierry Mathou and attended by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Navy Vice Chief Vice Admiral K. Swaminathan. This acquisition, approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on April 9, 2025, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is set to enhance India’s naval aviation prowess, particularly in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), amid growing regional challenges.
Details of the Rafale Marine Deal
The deal encompasses the acquisition of 22 single-seater Rafale-M jets, designed for carrier-based operations, and four twin-seater trainer variants, which are not carrier-compatible. Manufactured by French defence major Dassault Aviation, these 4.5-generation omni-role jets are tailored for maritime strike, air defence, reconnaissance, and nuclear delivery missions. The comprehensive agreement includes:
Weapons and Equipment: The jets will be equipped with advanced weaponry, such as the 70-km range Exocet AM39 anti-ship missiles, over 300-km range Scalp air-to-ground cruise missiles, and 120-150-km range Meteor air-to-air missiles. India has also requested the integration of indigenous weapons, including Astra beyond-visual-range missiles and Rudram anti-radiation missiles, with plans to incorporate Astra and BrahMos-NG missiles in the future.
Logistics and Support: The contract covers a five-year performance-based logistics package, including simulators, spares, crew training, and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities. A production facility for aircraft fuselages and MRO for engines, sensors, and weapons will be established in India under offset obligations, supporting the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative through indigenous component manufacturing.
Delivery Timeline: Deliveries are slated to begin in mid-2028, with nine jets arriving in 2028, 12 in 2029, and five in 2030, ensuring full induction by 2031. The jets will primarily operate from India’s indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and, to a lesser extent, the Russian-origin INS Vikramaditya.
The Rafale-M jets are engineered for Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) operations, featuring reinforced Safran Group landing gear, foldable wings, arrestor hooks, and a strengthened airframe to withstand the harsh conditions of carrier operations. These design elements make the Rafale-M one of the world’s most advanced naval fighters, currently operated only by the French Navy on the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier.
Strategic Context and Naval Modernization
The acquisition addresses critical gaps in the Indian Navy’s air arm, as its current fleet of 40 Russian-origin MiG-29K jets, inducted since 2009 at a cost of $2 billion, has faced persistent serviceability and maintenance issues. With the MiG-29Ks slated for phase-out by 2031, the Rafale-M jets serve as an interim solution until the indigenous Twin Engine Deck-Based Fighter (TEDBF), a naval counterpart to the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), becomes operational in the mid-2030s. The Navy had initially sought 57 jets, but the 26 Rafale-Ms, with their superior sortie generation rate and reliability, are expected to significantly enhance carrier-based combat capabilities.
The deal comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions, particularly with China’s expanding naval presence in the IOR. China operates three aircraft carriers—Liaoning, Shandong, and Fujian—and is developing nuclear-powered carriers, alongside a military base in Djibouti and logistical support in Pakistan. The Rafale-M jets will bolster India’s ability to project power, protect critical sea lanes, and counter threats in the Indo-Pacific, providing air cover for naval assets within a radius of hundreds of kilometres. Admiral Arun Prakash (retd.), former Chief of Naval Staff, emphasized the urgency of this upgrade, noting that the MiG-29Ks are nearly 15 years old and lack reliable support from Russia, which is embroiled in the Ukraine conflict. The Rafale-M, combat-proven and capable of countering China’s J-15 carrier-based fighters, offers a strategic edge.