The Indian Navy, which is looking to acquire 26 Rafale Marine jets, to be deployed on the INS Vikrant aircraft carrier and at other bases, may be inching closer to striking a deal as there has been a significant reduction in the prices, following several rounds of talks and negotiations between the two sides.
The jets from Dassault Aviation are set to replace MiG-29 fighter jets. The deal is important for the Indian Navy which seeks to boost its maritime strike capabilities.
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A team from France was in India recently for negotiating the deal and finalising the price. The "best and final price" from France comes head of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval's visit to the country, for the India-France Strategic Dialogue. The deal is expected to be discussed during the dialogue.
News agency ANI quoted defence sources as saying that the final price has been submitted to Indian authorities after several rounds of negotiations. The discussions regarding the deal have been going for over a year as the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) of India had cleared the procurement proposal in July 2023.
According to the Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA), the 26 Rafales will come with “associated ancillary equipment, weapons, simulator, spares, documentation, crew training and logistic support for the Indian Navy.”
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Meanwhile, a few days ago, Dassault Aviation had announced the setting up of a company—Dassault Aviation MRO India (DAMROI)—dedicated to the maintenance, repair, and overall (MRO) of its military activities, with the intention of providing maintenance, repair, and overhaul support for the French-origin fighter aircraft in India.