India plans to buy 31 Rafale Marine jets for Navy: Report

NEW DELHI: Reports claim that India is planning to purchase 31 Rafale Marine jets for the Navy. This will be in addition to the proposed deal to buy 114 Rafale fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force from France. The French media outlet La Tribune reported the development.

According to the report, apart from the 114 fighter jets, India has also requested 31 Rafale Marine aircraft. These naval versions of the Rafale are capable of taking off from and landing on aircraft carriers.

The jets are expected to be deployed on India’s indigenously developed aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant. If the report is confirmed, the total number of Rafale aircraft in India’s fleet will rise to 145. The report also states that India had identified the need for 31 Rafale Marine jets several years ago.

Earlier, under the Indian Air Force's Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) programme, India had decided to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, had approved the proposal.

This is considered to be India’s largest deal for fighter aircraft. The agreement is expected to be signed during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to New Delhi on the 17th. Under the deal, France will deliver 18 advanced Rafale F5 variant aircraft to India by 2030. Technology will also be transferred to manufacture 96 aircraft in India under the Make in India initiative, with local components. Parts such as the rear fuselage lateral shells, rear section, central fuselage, and front section will be manufactured at Tata Advanced Systems’ plant in Hyderabad. The agreement also includes aircraft maintenance, upgrades, and pilot training.

The Indian Air Force has earlier stated that the Rafale aircraft played a crucial role in Operation Sindoor. The operation demonstrated the effectiveness of Rafale jets in the hands of Indian Air Force pilots.

During Operation Sindoor, India reportedly used Rafale aircraft to counter American-made F-16 jets, Turkish drones, and to bypass Chinese air defence systems. The addition of more Rafale aircraft is expected to further strengthen India’s position as a major military power in the region.