CCS approves Rs 63,000 crore Rafale Marine deal for Indian Navy

In a landmark decision, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Tuesday approved India's largest-ever fighter jet deal, sanctioning the purchase of 26 Rafale Marine combat aircraft for the Indian Navy.

According to official sources, the deal, worth over Rs 63,000 crore, will be executed under a government-to-government agreement with France. The contract includes 22 single-seater and four twin-seater Rafale Marine jets, along with a comprehensive package for fleet maintenance, logistical support, personnel training, and indigenous manufacturing components under offset obligations.

Deliveries of the Rafale M jets are expected to begin approximately five years after the deal is signed. These fighters will be deployed on INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, and will operate alongside the Navy’s existing MiG-29K fleet.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) currently operates 36 Rafale jets at its Ambala and Hashimara bases, and this new deal is expected to further enhance the IAF’s capabilities. This includes upgrades to its "buddy-buddy" aerial refuelling system, enabling around 10 IAF Rafale aircraft to refuel others mid-air and extend their operational range.

Defence establishment sources also indicated that the deal will likely include ground-based equipment and software upgrades for the IAF's existing Rafale fleet. The Navy, meanwhile, will need to install specialised systems on its aircraft carriers to accommodate the 4.5-generation Rafale jets. While the MiG-29Ks will continue to operate from INS Vikramaditya, the Rafale Marine induction is anticipated to provide a significant boost to naval airpower.

Looking to the future, the Indian Navy is also preparing for the induction of indigenous fifth-generation fighter jets being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The planned twin-engine deck-based fighter aircraft will serve as the naval counterpart to the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) under development for the Indian Air Force, further strengthening India's self-reliance in defence technology.