The biggest ever defence deal between India and France also marks the first ever export order for the naval variant of the French fighter: The Rafale Marine (Rafale M).
The deal was scheduled to be signed during the visit of French defense minister Sebastien Lecornu to India on April 28. However, the visit was deferred and the deal was signed by other senior officials. The ₹63,000 crore ($7.5 billion) deal includes weapons, spares, maintenance packages and updates for the 36 Rafales currently operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The Indian Navy has been looking to augment its carrier borne fighter fleet consisting of Russian MiG-29K for years. In 2017, a Request for Information was released for the procurement of 57 Multi-Role Carrier Borne Fighters (MRCBF) for aircraft carriers of the Indian Navy. The number of aircraft required was later reduced from 57 to 26.
The Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet and the Dassault Rafale M were the two contenders selected for trials by the Navy. In January 2022, the Rafale M conducted trials from the Indian Navy’s Shore-Based Test Facility (SBTF) at INS Hansa in Goa. Two French Navy Rafales proved the capability to take off and land on a STOBAR carrier using the ski-jump facility at the SBTF. Earlier in 2020, Boeing along with the US Navy had demonstrated the ski-jump capability of the F/A-18 Super Hornet at Patuxent River naval air station in the US. In mid-2022 two Super Hornets conducted tests from the SBTF in India.
For months after the trials, it was increasingly reported that the Rafale had the edge over the Super Hornet. Dassault Aviation officially confirmed that the Navy Rafale was selected for the Indian Navy requirement in July 2023.
The Indian Navy’s 26 Rafale will eventually join the 36 Rafale used by the IAF and makes India the first country other than France to operate both versions. The first Rafale M will be delivered by 2028-29 with deliveries completed by 2030, according to a report. The first India-specific Rafale M will be showcased in 18 months.
Four of the 26 Rafales will be twin seat DH trainer versions and will be restricted to the shore given the lack of a twin-seat carrier capable Rafale M. The remaining 22 are expected to be deployed onboard INS Vikrant. In order for the Rafale to fit on the compact aircraft elevators of INS Vikrant, India’s indigenous aircraft carrier, modifications to the wingtip are reportedly required. The lifts were designed to accommodate the MiG-29K and the LCA Navy aircraft. The latter was deemed unsuitable for naval use, being powered by a single engine.
The MiG-29K fleet of the Indian Navy, currently used by both INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant, have faced a range of issues right from induction. Multiple airframes were affected due to technical issues and bird strikes. Poor serviceability and reliability of the aircraft plagued the fleet.
Nevertheless, the Navy has continued to maintain and upgrade the aircraft. The payload planned to be carried by the fighter now includes the following: Astra Mk-I, Astra Mk-II, RVV-AE and R-73E air to air missiles; NASM-MR and Kh-35E anti-ship missiles; other munitions such as Rudram-2, Rampage and ODAB-500PMV as well as the Talisman self-protection jammer pod. Certain avionics and critical spares have also been indigenized. The fleet may also be equipped with the Uttam AESA radar in the coming years.
While the 26 Rafales will augment the MiG-29K fleet in the medium term, the Indian Navy is looking towards the Twin-Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF) to fulfill future requirements. However, the project is yet to be sanctioned. Preliminary design activities are ongoing. The 4.5 generation design showcased at Aero India 2023 and 2025 may make way for a naval counterpart of the fifth generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) currently being developed for the IAF. The IAF is also looking to procure additional Rafales as part of its modernisation plan.
Update
Dassault Aviation said in a press statement:
The Rafale Marine will provide the Indian Armed Forces with state-of-the-art capabilities and the Indian Navy will benefit from the experience of the French Navy, which already operates this aircraft. Along with the 36 Rafale already in service with the Indian Air Force, the Rafale Marine will play an active role in guaranteeing national sovereignty and consolidating India’s role as a major international player.
“On behalf of Dassault Aviation and its partners, I would like to thank the Indian authorities, with whom we have been working for more than 70 years, for their confidence in us and reaffirm our unwavering determination to stand by their side to contribute to India’s expression of its sovereign power, its strategic challenges and its ambitious vision of the future,”
Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, Éric Trappier
The Indian Ministry of Defence stated in a press release:
The Governments of India and France have signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for the procurement of 26 Rafale Aircraft (22 Single-Seater and four Twin-Seater) for the Indian Navy. It includes Training, Simulator, Associated Equipment, Weapons and Performance-Based Logistics. It also includes additional equipment for the existing Rafale fleet of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
In line with the Government’s thrust on Aatmanirbhar Bharat, the agreement includes Transfer of Technology for integration of indigenous weapons in India. It also includes setting up of production facility for Rafale Fuselage as well as Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facilities for aircraft engine, sensors and weapons in India. The deal is expected to generate thousands of jobs and revenue for a large number of MSMEs in setting up, production and running of these facilities.
