A mere three months after having concluded a deal with Egypt for 24 Rafale fighters, Dassault Aviation is on the verge to sign a contract for 36 Rafales with India in the wake of PM Narendra Modi’s official visit in Paris last week.
Dassault Aviation, which has been the Indian Air Force supplier for more than 60 years, is to finalise the acquisition of these Rafale aircraft at conditions that will allow to meet rapidly the security needs of India, now that the IAF ageing MiG-21 and MiG-23 fleets are on the verge of exhaustion.
“Just as we are delivering the first upgraded Mirage 2000, I am delighted by the decision of the Indian Authorities which gives a new impetus to our partnership for the next decades and comes within the scope of the strategic relationship gathering France and India”, declared Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation.
To date, the combined purchases of France, Egypt and India mean that the 200 Rafale mark has been reached. France’s latest procurement law having lowered the number of Rafales which should equip in the end both the French Air Force and the French Navy (225 in total instead of the 320 aircraft expected initially back in 1992), a grand total of 275 Rafales has now been ordered, including export.
