The Navy Gets New Wings

CARRYING THE LATEST AVIONICS AND WEAPONRY, RAFALE-M IS A POTENT MARITIME FIGHTER. THE IMMINENT ARRIVAL OF 26 RAFALE-MS ON THE DECK OF INS VIKRANT WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT BOOST TO THE INDIAN NAVY'S CAPABILITIES

- Pradip R. Sagar

At last, after nearly a year of deliberations, the matter of selecting fighter aircraft for India's newly inducted indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, has been settled. On July 13, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on his way to Paris for a two-day visit, a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) convened by defence minister Rajnath Singh granted the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to the Indian Navy to acquire 26 Rafale Marine (Rafale-M) fighter jets from France. The deal to procure the Rafale-Ms will cost India at least $8 billion (Rs 65,920 crore) and will be executed through an intergovernmental agreement between India and France. India will acquire 22 single-seater Rafale-Ms and four of its twin-seater trainer versions. They are expected to be based at Visakhapatnam, the home base of INS Vikrant. According to military aviators, the Rafale-M is considered among the world's most advanced carrier-borne fighter jets, and its induction in the Indian Navy will add immense capability in terms of its strike, air defence and reconnaissance missions.

The AoN being the first stage of a long-drawn process of defence procurement, officials involved in negotiations claim that it will take months, or even a year, to finalise the Rafale-M deal. Once the negotiations on cost and techno-commercial details are concluded, the deal will require final clearance from the Cabinet Committee on Security chaired by PM Modi before being finally inked. The first Rafale-M is expected to arrive in India at least two-three years after the contract is signed. However, some MoD officials say that given the urgency of the matter, the Indian Navy might ask Rafale manufacturer Dassault Aviation to spare at least four or five RafaleMs from its ongoing orders for the French navy.