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NDTV
6 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
In Pics: Rajnath Singh Aboard INS Vikrant, Meets Navy Personnel
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Friday boarded the Indian Navy's indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, where he addressed the officers and crew, praising their dedication and strength. During the interaction with naval personnel on board the INS Vikrant off Goa, he sent a stern warning to Pakistan saying India will not hesitate to use the methods to deal with terrorism that Pakistan cannot even think of. Rajnath Singh reviewed operational readiness and praised the Navy's role in neutralising threats during the Operation Sindoor. He also underlined the Navy's vigilance and dominance in the Indo-Pacific region. INS Vikrant, which joined the Indian Navy in 2022, is a major representation of India's goal of building a self-reliant defence sector. The ship's deployment is seen as a crucial step toward reinforcing India's naval capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region. The Made-in-India aircraft carrier is slated to get a boost to its lethality with the inclusion of Rafale Marine (M) fighter jets. The fighter jets will complement the current fleet of MiG 29K. Rajnath Singh's visit comes at a time when India continues to assert its role as a key maritime power amid growing strategic interests in the Indian Ocean.
Time of India
28-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
India, France ink ₹63,000 crore deal for Rafale M fighter jets
India and France have formalized a Rs 63,000 crore agreement for the acquisition of Rafale M fighter jets, enhancing the Indian Navy's warfighting capabilities. The deal includes weapons packages, technology transfer, and the establishment of production and maintenance facilities in India. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The Indian Navy's warfighting capabilities will get a boost with the signing of an intergovernmental agreement between India and France for the acquisition of new Rafale M fighter jets that will operate from Indian aircraft carriers The Rs 63,000 crore deal, which was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) earlier this month, was formally inked in the capital on Monday in the presence of defence secretary RK Singh and the French ambassador to India Thierry Mathou. French defence minister Sebastien Lecornu had earlier scheduled a visit to India for the ceremony but it had to be postponed due to health deal includes a significant weapons package for the aircraft that consists of long-range air-to-air missiles and long-range ground and anti-shipping weapons. It also consists of a performance-based logistics pact that will ensure high availability of the combat said the agreement includes transfer of technology for integration of indigenous weapons in India. France will also set up a production facility for the Rafale fuselage as well as maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities for aircraft engine, sensors and weapons in India."The deal is expected to generate thousands of jobs and revenue for a large number of MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) in setting up, production and running of these facilities," an official said, adding that delivery of these aircraft would be completed by 2030, with the crew undergoing training in France and Navy pilots will be trained on the Rafale M by the French side as part of the larger deal for 26 new jets. The aircraft will be a significant capability booster for the navy, which currently relies on Russian origin MiG 29K fighter jets for its aircraft carriers."The induction would lead to the addition of a potent force multiplier to the Indian Navy's aircraft carriers, substantially boosting the nation's air power at sea," an official MiG 29K fighters have shown below par performance owing to maintenance related issues. The fleet suffers very low operational availability, which has limited the usage of aircraft carriers for prolonged carrier borne jets are being acquired as a stopgap solution till the development of an indigenous carrier borne fighter jet. The development of a twin-engine deck-based fighter is currently underway but it is expected that the combat aircraft will take close to a decade to become operational.
