India approves $7.4 billion deal to buy 26 French fighter jets

The Indian government has approved the purchase of 26 Rafale marine fighter jets, boosting the South Asian nation’s defense credentials at a time it is presenting itself as a bulwark against China in the Indian Ocean region. 

The deal, worth 640 billion rupees ($7.4 billion), was approved by a committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, according to senior officials who asked not be named as discussions are private. The Press Trust of India was the first to report on the nod. 

The order includes four twin-seater trainer aircraft and the maintenance of 36 Rafale fighters India bought for its air force in 2016. the officials said. The remaining 22 jets are designed for a single pilot. 

The naval deal was a key part of discussions during Modi’s visit to France in 2023. As China becomes increasingly assertive in the Indian Ocean region, Western nation have been keen to draw New Delhi into their orbit by offering critical technology such as semiconductors, sophisticated weapon platforms and investments.

According to plans shared by officials in the past, the fleet will be based on the Indian Navy’s locally manufactured aircraft carrier, the INS Vikrant. 

India’s defense Ministry and navy declined to comment. 

The green light for the deal sees France closing in on Russia, which is traditionally India’s biggest weapons supplier but is slowing down deliveries due to sanctions for its war in Ukraine. From 2020 to 2024, India was the biggest buyer of French military hardware followed by Qatar, according to a report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, an independent think tank that tracks global weapons trade.

The South Asian country has a fleet of Russian-made MiG-29K fighters which are based on INS Vikramaditya — India’s second aircraft carrier.

India is also developing homemade deck-based fighters and the purchase of French jets will help plug gaps in the navy’s combat capabilities.