In a major boost to Indian's naval aviation arsenal, India and France inked an intergovernmental agreement sealing rupees 64,000 crores deal to procure 26 Rafale-M jets for Indian Navy. According to PTI, the pact was sealed at a virtual event in presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
India is procuring the advanced jets from French defence major Dassault Aviation for deployment on board aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya in an attempt to augment nation's maritime arsenal and its ability to counter threats in the Indian Ocean region.
The induction of Rafale-M fighters into the Indian Navy is expected to significantly increase the country라이브 바카라 naval aviation repertoire in the coming years.
The sealing of the mega deal came three weeks after the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi cleared the procurement on April 9.
Under the terms of reference, the delivery of the jets will have to start around five years after signing of the contract. In July 2023, the defence ministry accorded the initial approval for the mega acquisition following a series of deliberations and evaluation tests of the platform.
Furthermore, the Indian Navy is also expected to get associated ancillary equipment, including weapon systems and spares from Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer of Rafale (Marine) jets.
As per media reports, the agreement also encompasses maintenance, logistics support, and training for Indian Navy personnel. Moreover, India has also reportedly requested the integration of indigenous weapons systems, including the Astra beyond-visual-range missiles and Rudram anti-radiation missiles, into the Rafale-M platform.
