India has finalized a $7.4 billion agreement with France to purchase 26 Rafale fighter jets for its navy, the Indian defence ministry announced on Monday.
Under the deal, India will acquire 22 single-seater and four twin-seater Rafale fighters, manufactured by France’s Dassault Aviation. The purchase is expected to strengthen India’s defense partnership with France, its second-largest arms supplier.
“The delivery of these aircraft is scheduled to be completed by 2030,” the ministry stated, adding that training for crew members is already underway in both France and India. The deal is also projected to create thousands of jobs and benefit numerous businesses across the country.
Earlier this month, India’s security cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had given its approval for the acquisition.
Currently, the Indian Air Force operates 36 Rafale jets, while the Indian Navy primarily uses Russian-made MiG-29 fighters. The new Rafale fleet is part of India’s broader efforts to modernize its military, reduce its reliance on Russian weaponry, and promote domestic defense production amid ongoing tensions along its borders with Pakistan and China.
The Indian Navy has raised concerns over China’s growing influence in the Indian Ocean, particularly citing Beijing’s deployment of dual-purpose vessels and its military base in Djibouti, established in 2017.
The Rafale deal continues India’s longstanding tradition of procuring French military equipment, which includes the Mirage 2000 jets acquired in the 1980s and Scorpene-class submarines ordered in 2005.
