New Delhi: In a significant development, the Defence Ministry has granted preliminary approval for the procurement of 26 Rafale fighter aircraft and three Scorpene class conventional submarines from France. Government sources informed ANI that the proposals received the nod from the Defence Procurement Board and will now be deliberated upon by the Defence Acquisition Council, likely on July 13.
As per ANI, the anticipated deals, once granted ‘Acceptance of Necessity’ by the DAC, are expected to be announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to France. The proposals outline the acquisition of 22 single-seater Rafale Marine aircraft, accompanied by four trainer aircraft, for the Indian Navy. The urgent requirement for these fighter jets and submarines stems from the security challenges faced by the Navy across the country.
The current aircraft carriers, INS Vikramaditya and Vikrant rely on MiG-29s and necessitate the inclusion of Rafale jets for operations on both carriers. Additionally, the Navy plans to procure three Scorpene class submarines through the repeat clause under Project 75, to be constructed at Mumbai’s Mazagon Dockyards Limited.
While the deals are estimated to be valued at over Rs 90,000 crore, the final cost will be determined during contract negotiations, following the announcement. India is expected to seek price concessions and emphasize a higher percentage of ‘Make-in-India’ content in the agreement. Industry sources informed ANI that India and France will form a joint team to negotiate the Rafale M deal, similar to the previous procurement of 36 fighter aircraft.
(With ANI Inputs)