India clears ₹63,000 crore deal to buy 26 Rafale Marine fighter jets for Navy — Key questions answered

India has cleared a “mega deal” for sale of 26 Rafale Marine fighter aircraft from France, ANI reported on April 9, citing sources in the government. The deal, worth over ₹63,000 crore, is expected to be signed soon, they added.

The Indian Navy will get 22 of the 26 single-seater and four twin-seater aircraft as part of the deal, the sources told ANI.

India's ‘Largest-ever’ Fighter Jet Deal Cleared!

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on April 9 approved India's “largest-ever” fighter jet deal, for the purchase of 26 Rafale Marine combat aircraft.

India clears deal to buy 26 Rafale fighters for Navy: Besides the 22 single-seater and four twin-seater Rafale Marine jets, the government-to-government deal also includes a comprehensive package for fleet maintenance, logistical support, personnel training, and indigenous manufacturing components under offset obligations, according to the report.

It added that the Rafale aircraft are expected to boost the Indian Navy's aerial capabilities. While the existing MiG-29Ks will continue to operate from INS Vikramaditya, the added Rafale jets and plans for indigenous fifth-generation fighter jets uder development by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), will boost overall airpower, it added. 

The upcoming twin-engine deck-based fighter aircraft is likely to be the naval counterpart of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) being developed for the Indian Air Force (IAF) by the Aeronautical Development Agency.

Rafale Fight Jet Deal: Delivery Timeline, Deployment & Other Details — Key Questions Answered

• What is the timeline of the deal? According to the report, the delivery of the Rafale Marine jets will likely begin around five years after the agreement is signed.
• Where will there jets be deployed? Acquired for the Indian Navy, the fighter jets will be deployed aboard the INS Vikrant, which is our first indigenous aircraft carrier. Notably, the IAF already operates 36 Rafale jets at its bases in Ambala and Hashimara.
• What does the deal include? Sources in the defence ministry told ANI that the deal will likely include ground-based equipment and software upgrades for the IAF fleet. Additionally, the Navy will need to install specialised equipment on its aircraft carriers to support the operations of the 4.5-generation Rafale jets.
• How will the jets serve in the Indian Defence Services? The newly acquired Rafale fighter jets will join the Indian Navy's existing MiG-29K fleet. Further, for the IAF, the Rafale Marine deal will help enhance and upgrade its “buddy-buddy” aerial refuelling or air-to-air refuelling (AAR) system, as per the report. 
• What is the “buddy-buddy” system? According to a report by the Indian Defence Research Wing, an online niche publication for defence related news, the “buddy-buddy” system allows two fighter aircraft to fly together, with one serving as the tanker and the other as the receiver. The receiving aircraft links up with the tanker aircraft and refuels from it in mid-air. It is considered an effective way to train pilots in AAR procedures.
• How will Rafale fighter jets enhancing buddy-buddy system help? The additional aircraft will enable about 10 IAF Rafale aircraft to refuel others mid-air, thus extending their operational range.

(With inputs from ANI)