Rafael M Deal: A major boost to the defense capability of the Indian Navy and the country as a whole will be that India may sign a deal during the prime minister’s visit to purchase the naval version of the Rafale fighter jets from France, which the Indian Air Force previously had. It is from Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Western European country.
Government sources told news agency ANI that a proposal has been made by the defense forces to the Defense Ministry, according to which the Indian Navy will get 22 single-seated Rafale Marine aircraft along with four trainer aircraft.
India has already bought 36 Rafale jets from France for its Air Force in September 2016.
Meanwhile, the three Scorpene-class submarines will be acquired by the Navy under the repeat clause as part of Project 75, where they will be built at the Mazagon Dockyards Limited in Mumbai, sources said.
These deals are estimated to be worth over Rs 90,000 crore but the final cost will be clear only after the completion of contract negotiations which will be held after the announcement of the deal.
Significantly, the naval version of Rafale is slightly different from the version already procured by India for the Indian Air Force.
Both Rafales are multirole fight jets and look similar, however, the nose of the naval variant is longer and more robust.
The Rafale M is designed to operate from an aircraft carrier. The aircraft carriers INS Vikramaditya and Vikrant are operating MiG-29s and Rafale is required for operations on both carriers.
The naval version of the Rafale has various modifications to make it suitable for operations on carriers.
What features of Rafale M make it different from Rafale of Indian Air Force?
- It has a carrier-based microwave landing system
- Includes a built-in ladder for direct access from the deck of the carrier to the cockpit
- It features a reinforced undercarriage to counter the pressure of landing on the carrier deck.
- Its radar, the Thales RBE2-M, is marine-optimized
- It has a wide range of weapons including anti-ship missiles
- It has foldable wings
- Rafale M is slightly heavier than its Air Force counterpart as modifications have been made
- The naval version has the capability to carry a wider variety of weapons, including anti-ship missiles and air-to-surface missiles.
According to sources, India may negotiate price concessions in the deal and will push for ‘Make-in-India’ plan.
Industry sources said that for the Rafale M deal, India and France are expected to form a joint team to negotiate the deal, as was done for the previous Rafale deal for 36 fighter jets.
The proposals have already been discussed in high-level meetings in the Defense Ministry and are likely to be placed before the Defense Acquisition Council in the next few days and the requirement is expected to be approved by the government before the announcement in France.
(with ANI inputs)
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