• The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared a proposal to procure 26 Rafale Marine fighter jets from France at a cost of around Rs 64,000 crore.

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) already operates 36 Rafale jets. 

• The new Rafale Marine jets will be deployed aboard India’s aircraft carriers, including the INS Vikramaditya and the indigenously-built INS Vikrant, dramatically enhancing the Navy’s combat capabilities. 

• Rafale-M is the naval variant of the Dassault Rafale fighter jet, specifically designed for carrier-based operations and can carry about 9.5 tonnes of weapons, fuel tanks and pods.

• These advanced fighters will come equipped with cutting-edge weapon systems, sophisticated missiles, and state-of-the-art avionics, providing the Indian Navy with superior air defence and strike capabilities in maritime operations. 

• The delivery of the jets will begin around five years after the signing of the contract under an inter-governmental framework between India and France.

• In July 2023, the Defence Ministry accorded the initial approval for the mega acquisition following a series of deliberations and evaluation tests of the platform.

• Under the deal, the Indian Navy will also get associated ancillary equipment including weapon systems and spares from Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer of Rafale (Marine) jets.

• With over 10,000 military and civil aircraft (including 2,700 Falcons) delivered in more than 90 countries over the last century, Dassault Aviation has built up expertise recognized worldwide in the design, development, sale and support of all types of aircraft, ranging from the Rafale fighter, to the high-end Falcon family of business jets, military drones and space systems.

Additional Read:

What is a Cabinet Committee?

Cabinet Committees are extra-constitutional, meaning, they are not mentioned in the Indian Constitution.  Cabinet Committee is a group of ministers which can take collective decisions that are binding across various ministries/departments. They are partly designed to reduce the burden on the Union Cabinet by allowing smaller groups of ministers to take decisions on specific policy areas.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)