India pays $288m each for Rafale M outpricing stealth rivals

NEW DELHI: India finalised a landmark $7.5 billion agreement with France to acquire 26 Rafale Marine (Rafale M) fighter jets for its navy, marking the largest defense deal ever between the two nations.

Signed in New Delhi, the contract aims to bolster India’s maritime air power by equipping its aircraft carriers, INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya, with advanced multirole fighters to counter growing regional threats, particularly from China’s expanding naval presence in the Indian Ocean.

However, the deal’s staggering price tag—approximately $288 million per aircraft—has sparked debate about the cost-effectiveness of investing in a fourth-generation platform when fifth-generation alternatives like the US-made F-35C are available at comparable or lower costs.

The Rafale M, a naval variant of the Rafale fighter developed by France’s Dassault Aviation, is designed specifically for carrier-based operations. The agreement includes 22 single-seat jets optimised for deployment on India’s aircraft carriers and four twin-seat trainer variants restricted to land-based operations.

The package also encompasses weapons, simulators, crew training, and a five-year performance-based logistics support program, alongside technology transfers to support India’s push for defense self-relianceDeliveries are expected to begin in mid-2028, with the full order completed by 2030, according to India’s Ministry of Defence.