The Indian government announced the selection of the naval variant of Rafale jets to equip the Indian Navy with the latest-generation fighter, Dassault Aviation, a French aerospace major and maker of the aircraft, said on Saturday. The defence ministry had on Thursday approved the purchase of 26 Rafale (marine) jets from France.
There was no mention of the procurement of Rafale jets in a document released following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's talks with French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday. "The Indian Government announced the selection of the Navy Rafale to equip the Indian Navy with a latest-generation fighter," Dassault Aviation said in a statement.
"Rafale demonstrated that it fully met the Indian Navy's operational requirements": Dassault
It said the decision came after a "successful trial campaign held in India, during which the Navy Rafale demonstrated that it fully met the Indian Navy's operational requirements and was perfectly suited to the specificities of its aircraft carrier".
"The Indian Navy's 26 Rafale will eventually join the 36 Rafale already in service, which is giving satisfaction to the Indian Air Force, making India the first country to make the same military choice as France by operating both versions of the aircraft to help consolidate its superiority in the air and on the seas and guarantee its sovereignty," it said.
India is procuring the Rafale jets for deployment on the indigenously built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.
The French defence major said Rafale's selection confirms the excellence of the jet and its "exceptional quality of the link between Dassault Aviation and the Indian forces and the importance of the strategic relationship between India and France".
"As we celebrate the 70th anniversary of our partnership with the Indian Forces, I would like to thank the Indian authorities for this new mark of confidence and pledge, on behalf of Dassault Aviation, that we will fully meet the Indian Navy's expectations with the Rafale," said Eric Trappier, chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation.
(With inputs from PTI)
