Context: 

Recently, The Governments of India and France have signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for the procurement of 26 Rafale Aircraft for the Indian Navy. 

More on the News

• This Rs 63,887 crore deal includes 22 single-seater jets that can operate from aircraft carriers, and 4 twin-seater trainer jets, which are not carrier compatible. 
• The agreement includes Training, Simulator, Associated Equipment, Weapons and Performance-Based Logistics. 
• It also includes additional equipment for the existing Rafale fleet of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
• It also includes setting up of production facility for Rafale Fuselage as well as Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facilities for aircraft engine, sensors and weapons in India. 
• The delivery of the jets will begin in 2028-29 after the contract is signed and is expected to be completed by 2031-32 with the crew undergoing training in France and India. 
• The Navy currently has only 40 of the 45 MiG-29K jets, inducted from Russia at a cost of $2 billion from 2009 onwards, to operate from the decks of its two over 40,000-tonne aircraft carriers, the older Russian-origin INS Vikramaditya and the new indigenous INS Vikrant. 
• Moreover, the MiG-29Ks have also been dogged by poor serviceability and other problems over the years.

Significance of the deal

• The procurement will boost the Navy’s operational capabilities, particularly with the MiG-29Ks slated to be phased out in the next few years. 
• The deal is in line with the Government's thrust on Aatmanirbhar Bharat, the agreement includes Transfer of Technology for the integration of indigenous weapons in India.
• A key India-specific enhancement will be that the aircraft will be able to take off and land from a short deck with a ski jump, which is a feature of Indian aircraft carriers. 
• The Rafale-M fighter jets would come along with associated ancillary equipment, weapons, simulator, spares, documentation, crew training and logistic support. 
• Their procurement from the French Government is on an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) basis. 
• The deal also includes a commitment from France to help integrate Indian missiles like the naval short and medium-range anti-ship missiles (NASMs) and BrahMos-NG, being developed by DRDO, with the Rafale-M fighters in the future.

Rafale-Marine aircraft

• The Rafale-Marine, or Rafale-M, is a carrier-borne fighter aircraft developed by Dassault Aviation, France. 
• It is designed specifically for naval operations. It is an advanced variant of the Rafale fighter already in service with the Indian Air Force, offering significant systems and logistics commonality.
• The Rafale-M has been in service with the French Navy since 2004, operating from the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. 

Takeoff Requirements

• Short runway constraint: Carrier decks offer limited space, so aircraft need assistance to lift off.
• Ski-jump ramp system: Indian carriers use a ski-jump that angles aircraft upward, improving lift-off by adjusting the angle of attack.

• Design adjustments: To enable effective ski-jump takeoffs:

• The aircraft's nose is modified to improve lift.
• Aircraft are built lighter and more compact than land-based versions due to takeoff weight restrictions.

Additional Naval Adaptations

• Corrosion resistance: The Rafale-M is built to resist the corrosive effects of seawater and marine environments.
• Specialised capabilities: It is equipped with naval sensors and weapons to target enemy ships and submarines, supporting maritime combat operations. 
• The omni-role 4.5-generation Rafales, are capable of delivering nuclear weapons. 
• The Rafale-M jets will be armed with long-range precision strike weapons like the IAF variant along with additional 70-km range Exocet AM39 anti-ship missiles.
• It includes 300-km range `Scalp’ air-to-ground cruise missiles and the top-notch Meteor air-to-air missiles, which have a strike range of 120 to 150-km to take on enemy jets.

UPSC Mains Practice Question

Q. Discuss the strategic and operational significance of India’s procurement of Rafale-Marine aircraft for the Indian Navy. In what ways does this acquisition align with the objectives of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and maritime security enhancement?