On July 13, 2023, the Indian Defence Ministry announced its approval of procurement plans for 26 Rafale fighter aircraft and three Scorpene class conventional submarines from France for the Indian Navy.
In a statement, the ministry stated that the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) convened under the leadership of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and approved three proposals.
One of the proposals granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the procurement of 26 Rafale Marine aircraft, along with associated ancillary equipment, weapons, simulators, spares, documentation, crew training, and logistic support for the Indian Navy.
This procurement will be conducted through an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) with the French government.
The specifics of the purchase, including the price and other terms, will be negotiated with the French government, taking into consideration various factors such as the comparative procurement price of similar aircraft by other nations.
