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Deliveries for the Indian Navy's Rafale-M jets will begin four years after the contract is signed, expected in the next couple of months.
The French Defence Minister’s visit to India will finalize the deal, with the Navy hoping it will be signed before March 31, 2025.
Once signed, deliveries will start 48 months later and complete within two years.
Along with the Rafale-M jets, the Indian Navy will also receive MQ-9B UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) by 2029, as part of a previous deal with the U.S.
The deals between India and France include Rafale-M jets and three additional Scorpene-class submarines, valued at over $10 billion.
Rafale-M
Designed and built by Dassault Aviation, a French aerospace company.
Features:
Multi-role, single-seat 4+ generation fighter aircraft with advanced avionics and AESA radar.
Capable of deep strikes, air defense, reconnaissance, and maritime operations.
Equipped with advanced armaments like Meteor, Multi-mission air-to-air missile system (MICA), SCALP missiles, and EXOCET anti-ship weapons.
Differences from Air Force Rafale:
Heavier airframe due to additional reinforcements for naval operations.
Optimized radar and electronic warfare systems for maritime applications.
Enhanced landing capabilities for Catapult Assisted Take-Off Barrier Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) and Short Take-Off, Barrier Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) systems.
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