New Delhi [India], April 9 — In a landmark move to strengthen maritime security, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Tuesday approved India’s biggest-ever fighter jet acquisition — the purchase of 26 Rafale Marine combat aircraft for the Indian Navy. Valued at over ₹63,000 crore, the deal will be executed through a government-to-government agreement with France, according to top government sources.
The Rafale Marine contract includes 22 single-seater and four twin-seater jets, along with a comprehensive support package covering maintenance, logistics, personnel training, and the inclusion of indigenous manufacturing components as part of offset obligations.
Deliveries of the Rafale M (Marine) aircraft are projected to commence roughly five years after the signing of the agreement. These carrier-capable jets will be deployed on INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier, and are expected to operate alongside the current MiG-29K fleet.
India’s Air Force already flies 36 Rafale jets from bases in Ambala and Hashimara. The new Navy deal is also expected to indirectly benefit the Indian Air Force (IAF) through upgrades such as enhanced aerial refuelling capabilities. Specifically, around 10 IAF Rafales will be equipped with the “buddy-buddy” mid-air refuelling system, expanding their combat range and endurance.
The deal is also expected to bring in ground-based equipment and software upgrades for the IAF fleet. Additionally, to support the new aircraft, the Indian Navy will equip its carriers with specialized systems compatible with the 4.5-generation Rafale Marine jets.
While MiG-29Ks will continue operations from INS Vikramaditya, the arrival of the Rafale M jets will significantly boost India’s naval aviation capabilities.
Looking to the future, the Navy also plans to induct a new class of indigenous fifth-generation fighter jets. These twin-engine deck-based fighters — currently in development by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) — are expected to be the naval variant of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) being developed for the Indian Air Force by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA).