NEW DELHI: The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the highest decision-making body of the defence Ministry on procurement, has issued an Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for acquiring 26 Rafale M fighter jets and an additional 3 scorpene submarines from France.
This development comes even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi started a two- day visit to the European country to take part in the Bastille Day celebrations there. Reports suggested that France has also agreed to arm the air independent propulsion system equipped Scorpene submarines with a naval cruise missile.
The acquisition of 26 Rafale M fighters manufactured by Dassault Aviation of France will meet the immediate and crucial requirements of the Indian Navy for aircraft carrier- borne combat aircraft and will have the added advantage of being common with the 36 Rafale jets, which are already in service with the Indian Air Force.
French fighter jets have been relied on by India for four decades now. Before buying the Rafale fighters in 2015, India had bought Mirage jets in the 1980s, which are still in two squadrons of the air force.
In 2005, India went for purchase of six Scorpene-class diesel submarines from France for Rs 18,800 crore ($2.29 billion), the last of which is expected to be commissioned next year.
India is regarded as one of the largest buyers of French arms, with PM Modi going in for a landmark deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets during a trip to Paris in 2015. The deal was worth around 4.0 billion euros ($4.24 billion) at the time.
Bilateral talks were expected to culminate in a deal for the naval fighter jets, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to France on Thursday. It was reported that the Indian Navy has been given the green signal to acquire 26 Rafale M fighter jets to cope with urgent requirements.
A formal inking of the deal is on the agenda as considerable time for negotiations is required. The estimated cost for the 26 Rafale M fighter is around 5.5 billion euros.
It is on the cards that India will make six of the Scorpene-class submarines at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders and approvals to make another three have been given. The cost of the 3 additional submarines is expected to be around 4 billion euros.
In reflection of the trust and depth of this strategic relationship, France is also expected to declare technology transfer of helicopter engines to India. This would enable India to be self-reliant in a key technology area and open the way for further Indo-French collaboration in engines over the next three to four decades.
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