Top Defence Body Approves Proposal To Buy 26 Rafale-M Aircraft, 3 Scorpene Submarines

The Defence Acquisition Council has approved proposals to buy 26 Rafale-M fighter aircraft along with three additional Scorpene submarines.

Top Defence Body Approves Proposal To Buy 26 Rafale-M Aircraft, 3 Scorpene Submarines ( Image Source :PTI )

The Defence Acquisition Council has approved proposals for buying 26 Rafale-Marine versions and three additional Scorpene-class submarines for the Indian Navy, Defence officials said as quoted by news agency ANI.

 

The DAC granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for procurement of 26 Rafale Marine aircraft along with associated ancillary equipment, weapons, simulator, spares, documentation, crew training and logistic support for the Indian Navy from the French Government based on Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA).

 

The price and other terms of purchase will be negotiated with the French Government after taking into account all relevant aspects, including comparative procurement price of similar aircraft by other countries. Further, integration of Indian designed equipment and establishment of Maintenance, Repair & Operations (MRO) Hub for various systems will be incorporated into the contract documents after due negotiations.

The DAC also granted the AoN for procurement of three additional Scorpene submarines under Buy (Indian) category which will be constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL). The procurement of additional submarines, with higher indigenous content, will not only help in maintaining required force level and operational readiness of the Indian Navy, but also create significant employment opportunities in the domestic sector. It will also help the MDL in further enhancing its capability and expertise in submarine construction.

The project was cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins a two-day visit to Paris.

The DAC, which is the defence ministry's highest decision making body on procurement, also cleared a proposal for construction of three more Scorpene submarines in India.

The mega defence projects are expected to be announced after wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Friday.

The DAC's approval to the projects came around a week after they were cleared by the Defence Procurement Board (DPB).

The Indian Navy is looking for procurement of 26 deck-based fighter jets for indigenously-built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.

After a lengthy process, the Navy had narrowed down on Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet and French aerospace major Dassault Aviation's Rafale M aircraft for the procurement.

Later, Rafale-M, the naval variant of the lethal jet, emerged as the winner in the tight race.  India has already procured 36 Rafale jets from France for the Indian Air Force.

The Rafale jets are India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in 23 year after the Sukhoi jets were imported from Russia.

Another important project with France would be the follow on order of three Scorpene submarines.

Under Project 75, six Scorpene submarines have already been made in India.

(With PTI inputs)