India tops up its Rafale warplane buy with 26 carrier-capable jets

MILAN — India and France have signed a major deal for the purchase of 26 Rafale fighter jets to equip the Indian Navy, which will become the first international user of the naval variant, underscoring the strategic relationship between the two countries.

The agreement follows India’s initial selection of the Rafale Marine in July 2023 following a series of consultations and assessments of the aircraft.

The new aircraft will be provided to the Indian sea service with the latest capabilities and will operate alongside the 36 Rafale already in service with the country’s Air Force.

“The Indian Navy will [be able] to benefit from the experience of the French Navy, which already operates the Rafale Marine,” the jets’ manufacturer, Dassault Aviation, said in a statement.

“The aircraft will play an active role in guaranteeing national sovereignty and consolidating India’s role as a major international player,” the company added.

While the governments included no price tag in their announcements, the purchase could be worth as much as €3 billion ($3.4 billion), based on previous Rafale transactions that suggest a per-copy cost upwards of €100 million.

A statement released by the Indian Ministry of Defense added that the agreement will cover a transfer of technology for the integration of indigenous weapons onto the Rafale Marine in India.

It also foresees the establishment of a national production facility for Rafale fuselage and maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities for aircraft engine and sensors.

The intention is for the Indian Navy to deploy the new jets on the INS Vikrant aircraft carrier. The service has primarily relied on a fleet of Russian-made MiG-29Ks until now, some of which could possibly be replaced by the Rafale.

Elisabeth Gosselin-Malo was a Europe correspondent for Defense News. She covers a wide range of topics related to military procurement and international security, and specializes in reporting on the aviation sector. She is based in Milan, Italy.

米兰——印度和法国签署了一项重大协议，印度将购买 26 架阵风战斗机装备印度海军，印度海军将成为该型舰载战斗机的首个国际用户，这凸显了两国之间的战略关系。

该协议是在印度于 2023 年 7 月经过一系列磋商和评估后，首次选定阵风海事型战斗机之后达成的。

这架新飞机将配备最新功能，交付给印度海军，并将与该国空军已服役的 36 架阵风战斗机一同作战。

“印度海军将能够借鉴法国海军的经验，法国海军已经装备了阵风海上战斗机，”该型战斗机的制造商达索航空公司在一份声明中表示。

该公司补充说：“该飞机将在保障国家主权和巩固印度作为主要国际参与者的地位方面发挥积极作用。”

虽然各国政府在公告中没有提及价格，但根据以往阵风战斗机的交易情况（每架价格超过 1 亿欧元），此次采购的价值可能高达 30 亿欧元（34 亿美元）。

印度国防部发表声明称，该协议将涵盖向印度转让技术，以便将国产武器集成到印度的阵风海军型战斗机上。

该计划还设想建立阵风战斗机机身的国家生产设施，以及飞机发动机和传感器的维护、修理和大修设施。

印度海军计划将新型战机部署在“维克兰特”号航空母舰上。此前，印度海军主要依靠俄制米格-29K战机，其中部分战机可能会被“阵风”战机取代。

伊丽莎白·戈斯林-马洛曾任《防务新闻》欧洲通讯员。她的报道涵盖军事采购和国际安全等广泛领域，尤其擅长航空领域的报道。她常驻意大利米兰。