The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), headed by the defence minister, approved proposals to procure 26 Rafale Marine (M) fighters and three Scorpene submarines on July 13, prior to Modi’s departure to France. On July 14, Modi stated that France and India are cooperating on submarines and Indian naval ships with agreements signed regarding these between French and Indian firms. Co-development of combat aircraft engines and collaboration regarding helicopter engines have also been announced, bolstering the strategic partnership of the two nations.
Rafale M
A press release by the Indian MoD revealed that the DAC granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for procurement of 26 Rafale M aircraft along with associated ancillary equipment, weapons, simulator, spares, documentation, crew training and logistic support. The deal, which would be signed after negotiations, would be in the form of an inter-governmental agreement.
Integration of Indian designed equipment and establishment of Maintenance, Repair & Operations (MRO) hub for various systems will be a part of the Rafale M agreement. French Navy Rafale M are expected to be provided to the Indian Navy for training and familiarization until the new aircraft are built and delivered. According to reports, two to four fighters will be provided within six months of contract signing. According to French media, these aircraft would come the French Navy inventory.
The Rafale M does not have a twin seat trainer version to date. However, India is expected to order four twin seat aircraft of the Rafale DH variant and 22 Rafale Marine single seat fighters. The trainers will be relegated to shore based training.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) operates 36 Rafale aircraft, which were procured after a surprise announcement during Modi’s previous visit to France in 2015. The Rafale M edged out Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet which was also a contender for the Indian Navy requirement. Both fighters were tested from the Navy’s shore based test facility in early 2022. The Navy determined that the Rafale M is more suitable for its needs. Dassault Aviation is expected to find new Indian partners in order to increase the share of Indian made components in the aircraft.
The requirement was initially for 57 Multi-Role Carrier Borne Fighters (MRCBF) according to an RFI in 2017. This was reduced to 26 after initiation of the development of India’s own Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF). The Rafale M will compensate for the unsatisfactory service history of the MiG-29K and reinforce the carrier air wing of INS Vikrant until TEDBF is ready for production in the 2030s. Until Rafales are delivered, a small number of MiG-29K will be deployed onboard INS Vikrant. Both of India’s aircraft carriers, INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya, conducted a combined exercise in June.
Additional Scorpenes
The DAC also granted AoN for procurement of three additional Scorpene submarines from French shipbuilder Naval Group which will be constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL). India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has revealed that an MoU has been signed between MDL and Naval Group for the construction of the three additional submarines under the Project 75 programme.
Previously, India had ordered six Scorpene submarines in 2005 under Project 75. Known as the Kalvari-class, the first submarine INS Kalvari was commissioned in 2017 with the last vessel Vagsheer to be inducted in 2024.
The additional submarines will have a greater made in India content than its predecessors. This is expected to include the DRDO Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system which is based on Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell (PAFC) technology. The current system is optimized for the Kalvari-class and is scalable up to 500kW. Depending on the configuration used, it can increase endurance by over two weeks under specified speeds.
DRDO is targeting to equip INS Kalvari with the AIP plug during its normal refit in late 2024. This will add nearly 10m to the length of the submarine. DRDO signed an agreement with Naval Group on January 23 for certification of AIP installation on the Kalvari class.
DRDO also inked a contract with Larsen & Toubro on June 23 for the realization of two AIP system modules for the Indian Navy’s Kalvari-class submarines, with the press release concluding that the project “would pave the way for order(s) for AIP Systems for the remaining five Kalvari-class submarines in the coming years.”
This indicates that while one of the two modules would go to INS Kalvari, the other may be intended for a Kilo-class submarine reportedly requested by DRDO to test new naval technologies such as electric propulsion motor, Li-Ion batteries and AIP system.
There is also the chance that the three new Scorpenes will be equipped with the Naval Cruise Missile (NCM) submarine-launched land attack cruise missile designed and produced by MBDA. It has been reported that France offered the missile to India with possibility of domestic production. NCM is the naval variant of the SCALP missile which has also been bought by India for IAF Rafales.
The procurement of additional Scorpenes comes amidst a dire need to maintain required force level and operational readiness of the Indian Navy, after delays to Project 75 (I) (P-75I). Under P-75I, six submarines with sea-proven AIP systems would be built by either MDL or private defense firm Larsen & Toubro with significant transfer of technology.
A Request for Proposal issued by MoD for P-75I has seen its deadline extended multiple times, with the current one ending by August 2023. However, the project has found some momentum in recent months. On June 7, Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MDL to collaborate for P-75I. On July 10, Spain’s Navantia and Larsen & Toubro signed a teaming agreement for the purpose of submission of a techno-commercial bid for the P75I program. The two firms had previously signed an MoU on April 11.
India’s current fleet of Kilo-class submarines and Type 209s are nearing the end of their service life, notwithstanding attempts to prolong it. P-75 and P75I were intended to develop India’s capability to build its own submarines. However, with additional Scorpenes equipped with indigenous AIP systems imminent and Indian firms such as MDL initiating the design process of conventionally powered submarines, it remains to be seen whether P-75I will culminate successfully.
Cooperation on SSN ?
The MEA release detailing the MDL – Naval Group MoU also stated that “India and France are ready to explore more ambitious projects to develop the Indian submarine fleet and its performance.” It is possible that this may lead to eventual cooperation regarding India’s diesel-electric (SSK) and nuclear-powered (SSN) programs.
Cooperation on surface ships
Further, an MoU has been signed between Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd. (GRSE) and Naval Group to “collaborate in the field of surface ship that caters to fulfil the requirement of India and International Naval forces.”
Aircraft engines
France and India have announced their intention to cooperate regarding the development of a new 110kN class engine for India’s fifth generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program. A long anticipated partnership will see a roadmap on the project be prepared between Safran and DRDO before the end of 2023. This engine will succeed the General Electric F414 which will be used on TEDBF, AMCA Mk1 and LCA Mk-II. During Modi’s visit to U.S. in June, significant transfer of technology for the F414 engine had been announced.
In his speech, PM Modi mentioned about co-production of helicopter engines. An announcement has been made about industrial cooperation for motorization of heavy-lift helicopters under the Indian Multi Role Helicopter (IMRH) program with Safran Helicopter Engines, France. To enable progress on the IMRH and its naval version Deck Based Multi-Role Helicopter (DBMRH), a shareholders’ agreement has been signed between India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Safran. The two firms had signed a workshare agreement for these engines in February 2023. The two firms also signed a contract for the Transfer of Technology of forging and castings for the Shakti Engine, which is currently used in multiple HAL light helicopters.
The two nations are celebrating the 25h anniversary of their strategic partnership, with the visit laying the foundation for the next 25 years. Other announcements in the defence and security sphere included preparation of a roadmap on defence industrial cooperation, cooperation for space based Maritime Domain Awareness, establishment of setting up of a DRDO Technical Office the Indian Embassy in Paris and a joint roadmap for the Indo-Pacific. PM Modi was the guest of honour at the Bastille Day and witnessed the participation of an Indian contingent at the military parade and flypast of three IAF Rafale aircraft.
UPDATE 1
30 minutes after publication of this story, Dassault Aviation issued a press release titled “India selects the Navy Rafale”
The press release reads:
“The Indian Government announced the selection of the Navy Rafale to equip the Indian Navy with a latest-generation fighter. Following an international competition launched by the Indian authorities, this decision comes after a successful trial campaign held in India, during which the Navy Rafale demonstrated that it fully met the Indian Navy’s operational requirements and was perfectly suited to the specificities of its aircraft carrier.“
The part in bold infers that the Rafale M is fully compatible with INS Vikrant. Rumors and allegations that Rafale M was too wide to fit on Vikrant‘s lifts appear to be unfounded.
UPDATE 2
Naval Group published the following press release in July 15:
Naval Group welcomes the announcement made by Indian and French authorities regarding the extension of the Indo-French partnership with the objective to explore ambitious submarines projects
Naval Group would like to thank the Indian and French authorities for the announcement regarding the extension of the Indo-French partnership and the objective to explore more ambitious projects to develop the Indian fleet and its performance. Mazagon Dock Shipbuliders Limited (MDL) remains our natural partner.
This decision is a testimony of the Indian Navy’s trust in the industrial cooperation we have established, and reaffirms the success of the transfer of technology achieved under the P75 programme for six submarines, which were built entirely in India by MDL.
The “Make in India” policy in the service of Indian sovereignty (“AatmaNirbhar”) has been at the heart of the P75 programme, as well as other activities developed by Naval Group and its Indian industrial partners to provide the Indian Navy with the most modern naval defence technologies.
“We welcome the declarations made during the Indian Prime Minister’s historic participation to the French National Day, to continue and further strengthen our 15-year submarine building cooperation, which is a major element of the Indo-French strategic partnership developed over the past decades. Naval Group and its partners will be fully mobilised to meet the expectations of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited and the Indian industry to fulfil the needs of the Indian Navy”.
Pierre Eric Pommellet, CEO of Naval Group.
Safran Helicopter Engines also issued a press release on its website:
Safran Helicopter Engines and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) have decided to set up their new joint venture company in Bangalore, India. It will be dedicated to the design, development, production, sales and support of helicopter engines, with first objective to build the most adequate propulsion solution for the Indian Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) future 13-ton IMRH (Indian Multi-Role Helicopter) and its naval version DBMRH (Deck Based Multi-Role Helicopter). This joint venture will be India’s first engine design and manufacturing in house.
