Summary:
India is close to finalizing a deal with France to acquire 26 Rafale Marine combat jets, which will significantly enhance its naval strike capabilities. The deal, set to close soon, includes long-range missiles and anti-ship weaponry, with a focus on integrating indigenous weapons like the Astra and Rudram missiles. India aims to bolster its maritime defense as tensions rise with neighboring Pakistan, which is expanding its navy. The acquisition is also expected to strengthen India’s deterrence capabilities, with the INS Arihant nuclear submarine playing a key role in India’s defense strategy.

India is in the final phase of negotiations with France to acquire 26 Rafale Marine combat aircraft, according to Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi.Tripathi during the Navy Day press conference on December 2, 2024. The discussions are just one step away from Cabinet Committee on Security approval, with the deal expected to be finalized next month.

Tripathi confirmed that the Rafale Marine deal, modeled after the 2016 agreement for 36 Rafale jets for the Indian Air Force, has seen significant cost reductions after multiple rounds of negotiations. The deal will enhance India’s maritime strike capabilities, including the integration of the indigenous Uttam radar, which will take around eight years and incur additional costs.

As part of the deal, India has requested the inclusion of indigenous weapons, including Astra beyond-visual-range missiles and Rudram anti-radiation missiles, along with a larger number of long-range Meteor missiles and anti-ship weaponry. The agreement, expected to close by the end of this financial year, also includes the addition of 40 drop tanks and some workstations for the jets, with a few of the Indian Air Force’s specifications integrated into the Navy’s deal.

The maritime version of the Rafale will be distinct from the Air Force’s model, featuring a longer, reinforced nose and strengthened undercarriage, while both versions will remain multirole fighter jets.

In his address, Tripathi emphasized the readiness of the Indian Navy to address potential threats from neighboring countries, specifically pointing to Pakistan’s expanding naval capabilities, including plans for a 50-ship fleet. He also highlighted the success of India’s nuclear submarine, INS Arihant, which has conducted multiple deterrence patrols, and reassured that the SSN (Ship Submersible Nuclear) would be operational as planned.