Sawt Falasteen - India says signs deal with France for 26 Rafale fighter jets

When delivered, the jets would join 36 French-made Rafale fighters already acquired by New Delhi as part of its efforts to rapidly modernise its military hardware.

"The governments of India and France have signed an inter-governmental agreement for the procurement of 26 Rafale Aircraft," the defence ministry said in a statement.

The jets made by French aerospace company Dassault Aviation are expected to operate from Indian-made aircraft carriers, replacing the Russian MiG-29K jets.

"It includes training, simulator, associated equipment, weapons and performance-based logistics" as well as 22 single-seater and four twin-seater jets, said India's defence ministry.

"It also includes additional equipment for the existing Rafale fleet of the Indian Air Force (IAF)."

The Indian government announced its intention to procure 26 Rafales in 2023, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited France for the Bastille Day celebrations.

Despite historical ties with Russia as its key supplier for military equipment, India has diversified in recent years with key purchases including from France as well as from the United States and Israel.

Dassault said that the jets will provide India with "state-of-the-art capabilities" and an "active role in guaranteeing national sovereignty and consolidating India's role as a major international player".

India's navy is the first user outside France of the Rafale Marine jet, the company said.

- Tensions with Pakistan -

Monday's deal comes as India's relations with arch-rival Pakistan plummet to fresh lows.

New Delhi has accused Pakistan of backing the deadliest attack on civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir since 2000 -- claims Islamabad denies.

The two countries have exchanged gunfire, diplomatic barbs, expelled each other's citizens and shut border since the April 22 attack, in which 26 men were killed.

Analysts say there is also a serious risk of the crisis turning into a military escalation.

The earlier contract for 36 Rafale aircraft, agreed in 2016, was worth about $9.4 billion.

Many global arms suppliers see the world's most populous nation -- and fifth-largest economy -- a key market.

India has become the world's largest arms importer with purchases steadily rising to account for nearly 10 percent of all imports globally in 2019-23, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said last year.

India has also eyed with worry its northern neighbour China, especially since a deadly 2020 clash between their troops.

That sparked a wave of defence reforms in the country, with both a push for fresh contracts from foreign suppliers and simplified laws to push domestic manufacturing and co-production of critical military hardware.

This decade India has opened an expansive new helicopter factory, launched its first homemade aircraft carrier, and conducted a successful long-range hypersonic missile test.

That in turn has fostered a growing arms export market which saw sales last year worth $2.63 billion -- still a tiny amount compared to established players, but a 30-fold increase in a decade.

India has deepened defence cooperation with Western countries in recent years, including the Quad alliance with the United States, Japan and Australia.

C.Hamad--SF-PST