Amid rising tensions with Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, India is set to sign a major defence deal with France for 26 Rafale Marine Fighter Jets worth Rs 63,000 crore today. The signing ceremony is scheduled for Monday, with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar expected to represent the Indian side and the French Ambassador leading the French delegation.
The jets, urgently needed for deployment on Indian aircraft carriers, particularly INS Vikrant, will significantly boost India’s naval capabilities. The Government-to-Government deal includes 22 single-seater and four twin-seater jets, along with a full maintenance, training, logistics, and indigenous component manufacturing package.
Both Indian and French Defence Ministers are expected to virtually attend the event, where several additional Government-to-Business agreements are also likely to be signed.
The Rafale Marine jets will be specifically customized to meet Indian Navy requirements and integrated with INS Vikrant. This acquisition follows the Cabinet Committee on Security meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 9, where the deal was cleared.
The high-profile agreement comes at a crucial time, as ceasefire violations across the Line of Control (LoC) by Pakistan have intensified since the Pahalgam attack, leading to strong retaliatory action by the Indian Army.
