The contract includes 22 single-seater and four twin-seater Rafale Marine jets. It also features a comprehensive support package covering fleet maintenance, logistics, personnel training, and indigenous manufacturing under offset obligations.
Deliveries of the Rafale M jets are expected to begin around five years after the contract is signed. The aircraft will be deployed on INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier, and will operate alongside the Navy’s current MiG-29K fleet.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) already flies 36 Rafale jets from its bases in Ambala and Hashimara. The new Rafale Marine acquisition is also expected to boost IAF capabilities, particularly through an upgrade to its "buddy-buddy" aerial refuelling system. This enhancement will allow approximately 10 IAF Rafale jets to refuel others mid-air, thereby extending their operational range.
The deal is expected to be signed later this month during the visit of French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu to India. According to sources, deliveries are likely to begin five years after the agreement is finalised.
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