India signs $7.4 billion deal to purchase 26 Rafale fighter jets, say official
New Delhi signed a agreement with France on Monday to purchase 26 Rafale fighter aircraft value 630 billion rupees ($7.41 billion) for its navy, according to an official from the Indian defence ministry said to Reuters. The purchase was granted prior this…
From the Forelines news archive. This report was published on 28 April 2025, before Forelines moved its focus to research and analysis. See our latest research →
New Delhi signed a agreement with France on Monday to purchase 26 Rafale fighter aircraft value 630 billion rupees ($7.41 billion) for its navy, according to an official from the Indian defence ministry said to Reuters.
The purchase was granted prior this month by Indian security cabinet, chaired by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as per Reuters report.
The Indian Air Force recently manages 36 Rafale fighters, while the navy’s aircraft fleet mainly consists of Russia’s MiG-29 jets.
The agreement comes as New Delhi plans to modernise its military, lower reliance on Russia’s-made equipment, and raise domestic armament production to support forces stationed along two disputed borders with Pakistan and China, reported by Reuters.
According to Reuters, the Indian navy has raised alarms on China’s increasing presence in the Indian Ocean over the previous decade, with China operating dual-purpose ships in the area and operating a military base in Djibouti from 2017.
It further marks additional move in India’s long-standing dependence on French army hardware, consisting Mirage 2000 jets purchased in the 1980s and Scorpene-class submarines ordered in 2005. (Forelines)
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