The carrier strike group elements including the Rafale Marine fighter aircraft will hold an exercise with Indian Air Force fighter aircraft in the next few days while the warships will hold the 42nd edition of the bilateral Varuna exercise while returning from the Pacific Ocean after a se
With India looking to finalise the Rafale Marine shortly, a top French officer said on Saturday that having the same fighter aircraft will bring two forces together.
The Indian Navy is hoping to finalise the Rs 90,000 crore deals for 26 Rafale Marine combat aircraft and three additional Scorpene submarines by next month, announced Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi on Monday.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval held a meeting with French Minister for the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu and held discussions on defence cooperation, including the Rafale Marine, Scorpene submarines, space, and international situation, especially Ukraine.
India and France are negotiating the deal for buying 26 Rafale Marine jets which are going to be deployed on the INS Vikrant aircraft carrier and different bases.
The second round of negotiations between India and France started on Monday and are expected to continue for the next 10-12 days, defence sources told ANI.
India and France are carrying out negotiations for the price and other related issues for the all-important 26 Rafale Marine fighter aircraft deal for the Indian Navy.
In a significant development, contract negotiations between governments of India and France for the over Rs 50,000 crore 26 Rafale Marine fighter jets deal is scheduled to begin on May 30 as a high-level French team would be arriving here.
In a significant development, France has submitted its response to India's tender for buying 26 Rafale Marine jets for the Indian Navy's aircraft carriers - INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya.
The Letter of Request has been delivered to the French government and they are expected to decide on the Indian request and respond in the near future, top defence sources told ANI.
For the first time after India cleared the proposal to buy 26 Rafale Marine aircraft for the Indian Navy, a team headed by French defence ministry officials met their Indian counterparts here.