India on Monday signed an around ₹64,000 crore inter-governmental agreement (IGA) with France for buying 26 Rafale-Marine combat aircraft. Read: The Latest Defence Current Affairs Notes here
Deliveries of the naval aircraft are expected to begin by mid-2028 and conclude by the end of 2030, with the crew undergoing training in France and India.
The contract covers 22 single-seater jets capable of operating from an aircraft carrier, and 4 twin-seat trainers that are not carrier-compatible.
Manufactured by French aerospace company Dassault Aviation, these fighters are slated to be deployed on INS Vikrant, India's first indigenous aircraft carrier.
The agreement also includes transfer of technology for integrating indigenous weapons onto the Rafale-Marine jets in India.
It also has the provision of setting up of a production facility for their fuselage as well as maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities for aircraft engines, sensors, and weapons in India.
Read : The Latest Defence Current Affairs Notes here
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