Update: India’s Rafale-M deal postponed
India could host a Rafale FAL in Nagpur as part of expanding Indo-French fighter jet cooperation. (Photo: Dassault Aviation)
New Delhi had been gearing up to sign a Navy Rafale deal as talks swirled around a potential assembly line in Nagpur.
India’s Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had approved the long-awaited procurement of 26 Rafale-M fighter jets for the Indian Navy. The deal was expected to be signed in New Delhi on April 28 or 29 during a scheduled visit by French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu, but the signing has now been postponed.
The delay follows a lethal terror attack on 22 April by terrorists in Kashmir’s Pahalgam region which killed more than 26 tourists. India ordered the shutdown of the Pakistan High Commission and its border, while Pakistan has shut down its airspace for Indian
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
![Connecting the layers: how networks can secure the future of European air defence]()
Connecting the layers: how networks can secure the future of European air defence
The rise of drones has reshaped the threat landscape for all European militaries. For industry, future defensive strategies must carefully balance a mix of passive and active measures to address the evolving danger, based around a highly integrated and responsive network of sensors and effectors.
-
![October drone digest: France and Lithuania advance loitering munition procurements as global spending surges]()
October drone digest: France and Lithuania advance loitering munition procurements as global spending surges
Recent procurement developments in France and Lithuania highlight the growing demand for loitering munitions, with global annual spending forecast to increase nearly 50-fold between 2020 and 2029.
-
![Quantum Systems details 480km/h Ukrainian interceptor as production scales up]()
Quantum Systems details 480km/h Ukrainian interceptor as production scales up
Quantum Systems’s Ukraine-made interceptor SPYS is thought to cost approximately 10 times less than Russia's jet-powered uncrewed aerial systems and is being produced at scale.
-
![UK eyes lightweight satellite communications for UAVs]()
UK eyes lightweight satellite communications for UAVs
The UK is seeking to extend the operational reach of uncrewed aerial vehicles, reflecting growing demand for compact, energy-efficient technology to support beyond-line-of-sight operations.
