France has presented its final price offer to India for the procurement of 26 Rafale-Marine (Rafale-M) fighter jets, just before Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval's visit to Paris. This development signals significant progress in the ongoing negotiations for a deal crucial to bolstering the Indian Navy's maritime capabilities.
Defence sources have confirmed that the final offer, which includes a substantial price reduction, follows intensive negotiations between the two nations. The Rafale-M jets are intended for deployment on India's first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, and various naval bases.
Last week, a French delegation visited New Delhi to finalize discussions with Indian authorities. The deal is expected to be a key topic of discussion during the upcoming India-France Strategic Dialogue, where NSA Doval will meet with his French counterparts.
India has sought to customize the Rafale-M to meet its specific requirements. Notably, deviations from the original tender document, or Letter of Request, have been approved to accommodate the integration of India's indigenous Uttam radar system. This move is expected to save time and money compared to relying on French technology.
Furthermore, India has requested the integration of domestically developed weapons, such as the Astra beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles and the Rudram anti-radiation missiles.
The final price reportedly takes into account agreed-upon inflation rates and is based on the previous deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets acquired by the Indian Air Force. The naval deal also incorporates some of the Indian Air Force's requirements, including approximately 40 drop tanks and a limited number of workstations for the aircraft.
As part of the agreement, India is set to receive a larger quantity of Meteor long-range air-to-air missiles and anti-ship weaponry. A final agreement is anticipated before the end of the current fiscal year.
