India signs Rs 64,000 crore deal with France to buy 26 Rafale Marine fighter jets
India signed a deal with France on Monday to buy 26 Rafale Marine fighter aircraft for the Navy, said the defence ministry. The jets will be procured at a cost of around Rs 64,000 crore, according to PTI.
New Delhi will buy 22 single-seater aircraft and four twin-seater jets manufactured by Dassault Aviation.
“The delivery of these aircraft would be completed by 2030, with the crew undergoing training in France and India,” stated the ministry, adding that the deal is expected to generate thousands of jobs and revenue for a large number of businesses.
The deal includes transfer of technology to India, setting up of a Rafale fuselage production unit and maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities for engines, sensors and weapons in the country, the ministry said.
The Rafale Marine is an aircraft carrier-borne fighter jet.
The Indian Air Force currently operates 36 Rafale fighter aircraft. The deal to procure them was signed by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government in 2016 at the cost of Rs 58,000 crore.
The Congress had accused the Narendra Modi government of corruption. The Centre has denied the allegations.
The Opposition party also alleged that the Union government had helped a defence firm owned by industrialist Anil Ambani land a major contract under the deal even though it had no experience in the sector. Ambani has denied the allegations.
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