India Orders 26 Rafale Marine carrier-based aircraft for $7.5 billion

India signed a contract to purchase 26 Rafale Marine aircraft from France, valued at 630 billion rupees ($7.5 billion), the defense ministry announced.

The order included 22 single-seat and four twin-seat fighters, produced by Dassault Aviation. This became the largest defense deal between India and France, marking the first export of the Rafale Marine variant.

The deal included weapons, spares, maintenance, and upgrades for the 36 Rafale jets currently in service with the Indian Air Force. The agreement was part of India's efforts to strengthen its naval aviation capabilities. The Rafale Marine was selected after trials with both the Rafale M and Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet, which competed to become the Indian Navy’s carrier-based fighter. The aircraft demonstrated successful operations at India’s Shore-Based Test Facility in Goa in 2022.