France Bids For Indian Navy's 50,000 Crore Rafale Marine Fighter Jets Deal

France has officially started bidding for India’s Rs 50,000 crore contract to purchase 26 Rafale Marine fighter jets for the aircraft carriers of the Indian Navy. The French government officials in charge of selling military equipment to other countries responded, together with the terms, conditions, and price information.

The submission, verified by sources in the Defense Ministry, represents a significant advancement in India’s efforts to strengthen its naval aviation capabilities. The $6 billion agreement intends to increase the operating capabilities of the Indian Navy’s aircraft carriers, INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant, and the force’s fighter aircraft fleet.

The current MiG-29s will be replaced with the Rafale Marine aircraft India purchased from Dassault Aviation. This is the country’s second major purchase of fighter jets from the French aerospace sector recently.

The urgent need to upgrade the Indian Navy’s aviation and submarine capabilities is being met by this procurement, which includes 22 single-seat Rafale Marine planes and four twin-seater trainer variants. With the clearance of the Defence Acquisition Council, the Indian and French governments can now negotiate on issues like terms, prices, and the integration of equipment designed in India.

The components of the proposed transaction, including the weaponry, simulator, spares, crew training, and logistics support, have been specified in a comprehensive Letter of Request released by the Defence Ministry.

The deal, expected to be completed in the upcoming months, will build up India’s naval arsenal and establish a hub for the maintenance, repair, and operations of diverse systems (MRO). Before the contract is signed, defence analysts expect discussions about the price and permission from the Cabinet Committee on Security.

The current limitations and the necessity of addressing security issues, particularly in the Indian Ocean region, highlight how urgent it is to satisfy the requirements of the Indian Navy. India might also use the discussions to ask for possible reductions and add additional “Made In India” items to the agreement. The deliveries are projected to start in three years, enhancing India’s strategic maritime capabilities even more.

Reference: India Today

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