November 22, 2024

PM Modi’ France visit: Procurement of 26 Rafale jets for Navy approved | India News

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NEW DELHI: The Government has approved the procurement of 26 Rafale-M fighter jets from France for the Indian Navy. The deal is estimated to be worth around 5.5 billion euros.
The project was cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by defence minister Rajnath Singh on a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins a two-day visit to Paris. The Rafale-M is a naval variant of the Rafale fighter jet, which is currently in service with the Indian Air Force (IAF). The naval variant is equipped with a number of features that make it suitable for operations from aircraft carriers, including a folding wing and a strengthened undercarriage.
The DAC, which is the defence ministry’s highest decision making body on procurement, also cleared a proposal for construction of three more Scorpene submarines in India.
The mega defence projects are expected to be announced after wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Friday.
The DAC’s approval to the projects came around a week after they were cleared by the Defence Procurement Board (DPB).
India has already procured 36 Rafale jets from France for the Indian Air Force. The Rafale jets are India’s first major acquisition of fighter planes in 23 year after the Sukhoi jets were imported from Russia.



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