India approves purchase of 26 Rafale jets, 3 Scorpene submarines from France

Indian defence ministry on Thursday (July 13) approved plans to purchase 26 Rafale fighter aircraft and three Scorpene class conventional submarines for the Indian Navy from France. The formal announcement for the deals will most likely be made during Prime Minister Modi's visit to France. 

News agencies reported that the proposals were approved by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) meeting attended by Defence Minister Rajanth Singh, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, the three services chiefs and senior officials. 

The Indian Navy will get 22 single-seated Rafale Marine aircraft along with four trainer aircraft. 

The Indian prime minister has embarked upon a crucial visit to France and he will be the Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Parade on July 14. 

Amid security challenges and growing Chinese threats in the Indo-Pacific region, the Indian Navy pressed for acquiring these fighter aircraft and submarines urgently as the force has been facing shortages. 

The aircraft carriers INS Vikramaditya and Vikrant have been operating the MiG-29s and need the Rafales for operations on both carriers.

Meanwhile, the three Scorpene class submarines would be acquired under the repeated clause by the Navy as part of Project 75 and the building of Kalveri class submarines would be at the Mazagon Dockyards Limited (MDL) in Mumbai. 

These government-to-government deals are estimated to be worth over Rs 90,000 crore (around $10.9 billion) but the final cost would be clear only after the contract negotiations are completed and those will be held after the deal is announced. 

French-made Rafale jets are a crucial part of the Indian forces. New Delhi procured 36 jets from Paris under an inter-governmental framework and the Rafale jets are India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in 23 years after the Sukhoi jets were imported from Russia. 

Rafale is a twin-engine, canard delta wing, multi-role fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. The Rafale jets are capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. 

The official website of Dassault Aviation mentioned that the Rafale participates in permanent "Quick Reaction Alert" (QRA) / air-defence/air policing missions, nuclear deterrence duties, power projection and deployments for external missions, deep strike missions, air support for ground forces, reconnaissance missions, and pilot training sorties.