India Signs Agreement to Purchase 26 Additional Rafale Fighter Jets from France – Ministry of Defence

India Signs Agreement to Purchase 26 Additional Rafale Fighter Jets from France – Ministry of Defence

According to the state news agency, India’s Ministry of Defence announced on Tuesday that the government has signed an agreement to purchase 26 Rafale fighter jets from France. This multi-billion-dollar deal includes both single-seat and twin-seat variants of the aircraft.

The new jets will be added to the existing fleet of 36 Rafale fighters previously acquired by the Indian Air Force, as part of India’s rapid military modernization efforts.

In its statement, the Defence Ministry said,
“India and France have signed an intergovernmental agreement for the acquisition of 26 Rafale fighter aircraft.”

The Rafale jets, manufactured by French aerospace company Dassault Aviation, will be operated from Indian-made aircraft carriers and will replace Russia’s MiG-29K fighter jets currently in service.

The agreement also includes training, simulators, associated equipment, weapons, and performance-based maintenance support. Specifically, it covers 22 single-seat and 4 twin-seat aircraft.

In addition, the deal will provide spare parts and support equipment for India’s current Rafale fleet.

India had first expressed interest in purchasing these 26 aircraft in 2023, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France to attend the Bastille Day celebrations.

Despite its historically close defense ties with Russia, India has in recent years diversified its defense procurement sources, increasingly buying major military equipment from France, the United States, and Israel.

Dassault Aviation stated that these Rafale jets would provide India with “superior technological capabilities” and play an “active role in safeguarding national sovereignty,” while also strengthening India’s international stature.

The deal comes amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. New Delhi has blamed Pakistan for allegedly supporting the most deadly civilian massacre in Indian-administered Kashmir since 2000—a charge Islamabad has denied.

The previous 2016 deal for 36 Rafale jets was valued at approximately $9.4 billion.

As the world’s most populous country and fifth-largest economy, India is considered a key market by global arms suppliers.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India accounted for nearly 10% of global arms imports between 2019–2023, making it the world’s top arms importer.

India has also been increasingly concerned about its northern neighbor China, particularly after a deadly border clash in 2020. That incident prompted defense reforms focused on acquiring new equipment from foreign suppliers and easing regulations to promote domestic production and joint ventures.

As a result, India’s arms export market has also grown — reaching $2.63 billion in 2024, a 30-fold increase over the past decade, although still modest compared to established powers.

Would you like a breakdown of how this new Rafale deal compares to similar recent international fighter jet purchases?