Wings Over the Indian Ocean: India’s Rafale-M Buy Marks Strategic Counter to China’s Maritime Expansion
Valued at approximately US$7.6 billion (RM33.4 billion), the acquisition includes a comprehensive package of precision-guided munitions, support equipment, and spare parts, solidifying it as one of India’s most consequential naval aviation investments in recent history.
(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — In a decisive move to elevate its maritime airpower and strategic deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, the Indian government has cleared the procurement of 26 Rafale-Marine multirole fighter jets from France, a deal that underscores New Delhi’s intensifying focus on countering China’s expanding naval footprint in the Indian Ocean.
Valued at approximately US$7.6 billion (RM33.4 billion), the acquisition includes a comprehensive package of precision-guided munitions, support equipment, and spare parts, solidifying it as one of India’s most consequential naval aviation investments in recent history.
The agreement, having received political greenlight from India’s top decision-making security forum—the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi—is expected to be inked within days.
The formal signing is expected to coincide with the forthcoming visit of the French Minister of Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu, a reflection of Paris’s increasingly pivotal role in India’s strategic defence calculus and defence-industrial cooperation.
The purchase includes 22 Rafale-M single-seat carrier-capable fighters for frontline deployment aboard India’s aircraft carriers INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya, while four twin-seat Rafale-B variants—optimized for crew training—will operate from shore-based facilities.
Unlike its navalised counterpart, the Rafale-B is not designed for carrier operations and will instead serve as a ground-based training asset to ease the transition of Indian Navy pilots to the French platform.
Deliveries of the aircraft are expected to be staggered between 37 and 65 months from contract signature, a timeline that aligns with projected fleet modernisation milestones of the Indian Navy.
Rafale M
India currently operates two aircraft carriers—the INS Vikramaditya, a refurbished Soviet-era Kiev-class platform acquired from Russia, and INS Vikrant, the country’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, commissioned in September 2022 and symbolising India’s ambitions as a regional naval power.
Alongside the fighter acquisition, the contract also encompasses a modernisation and capability enhancement package for the 36 Rafale fighters already operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF) under a landmark 2016 contract.
That earlier deal marked India’s return to Western fighter platforms after decades of dependence on Russian aircraft, with deliveries completed in 2022 and the jets now playing a critical role in high-altitude air dominance missions along India’s northern frontiers.
The incoming Rafale-M fleet will gradually phase out India’s ageing MiG-29K/KUB naval fighters, currently fielded by squadrons INAS 300 “White Tigers” and INAS 303 “Black Panthers”, both of which have been core to India’s carrier aviation over the past decade.
India procured a total of 45 MiG-29K series aircraft, in two tranches—16 units ordered in 2004, followed by 29 more in 2010—but operational performance and serviceability issues have plagued the fleet and raised questions about its long-term viability.
Though initially envisioned as India’s primary carrier-based fighter, the MiG-29K has been dogged by persistent reliability, spares shortages, and maintenance delays, prompting New Delhi’s shift toward the more advanced, NATO-proven Rafale-M platform.
Rafale M
In keeping with its “Make in India” defence industrial policy, India is reportedly in discussions with Dassault Aviation to establish a final assembly line within the country, aimed at supporting future orders and strengthening local aerospace manufacturing capacity.
Current Indian defence procurement policy mandates that 60% of all weapon systems be produced domestically, and potential follow-on orders for additional Rafale fighters for the Indian Air Force remain under serious consideration.
With this new Indian Navy contract, Dassault Aviation’s Rafale production backlog now stands at 256 aircraft, comprising 190 units for export clients—including India, the UAE, Egypt, and Indonesia—and 56 for the French Air and Space Force.
At a planned production rate of three aircraft per month, Dassault is expected to require approximately seven years to complete its existing order book, even as new export campaigns continue to expand the Rafale’s global footprint.
Mirroring the Indian Air Force’s upgrades, the Navy’s Rafale-Ms will undergo custom enhancements to optimise their suitability for maritime operations across the subcontinent’s littoral and blue-water theatres.
Key modifications include a new-generation Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) for improved situational awareness, updated software modules for air-to-sea engagement, and structural tweaks to enable high-frequency carrier launch and recovery cycles.
Rafale MIndian Air Force (IAF) Rafale
Further improvements will be made to the jet’s electronic warfare resilience, with upgraded Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) shielding, a next-generation radar altimeter, and the integration of high-frequency countermeasure decoys for enhanced survivability in contested naval environments.
✈️ Rafale M (Marine) – Technical Specifications
Manufacturer: Dassault Aviation, France Role: Multi-role naval fighter designed for aircraft carrier operations
🔧 Dimensions & Structure
Length: 15.3 meters
Wingspan: 10.9 meters
Height: 5.3 meters
Empty Weight: 10,600 kg
Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW): 24,500 kg
⚙️ Performance
Engines: 2 x Snecma M88-2 turbofan
Maximum Speed: Mach 1.8 (approx. 2,222 km/h)
Combat Radius: ~1,850 km
Ferry Range: ~3,700 km (with drop tanks)
Service Ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,240 m)
Rate of Climb: ~60,000 ft/min
INS Vikrant
🛠️ Naval Adaptations
Carrier Launch & Recovery: Catapult-compatible with tail hook arrestor
Reinforced Structure: Optimised for maritime corrosion and deck-landing impact
Ruggedised Landing Gear: Specially reinforced nosewheel strut for catapult launch
🧭 Avionics & Combat Systems
Radar: Thales RBE2 AESA radar
EW Suite: SPECTRA—integrated electronic warfare system for jamming and threat avoidance
Data Fusion: Advanced sensor integration and data-link capabilities
Helmet-Mounted Display: Enables targeting and cueing via pilot head movement
💥 Weapons Loadout
Total Hardpoints: 14 (including 2 on wing tips)
Air-to-Air Missiles:
MBDA MICA (IR and radar-guided)
MBDA Meteor (Beyond Visual Range – BVR)
Air-to-Ground Strike:
SCALP-EG stealth cruise missile
AASM Hammer precision-guided munitions
Anti-Ship Warfare:
AM39 Exocet anti-ship missile
Future compatibility with torpedoes or new-generation sea-skimming missiles
Additional Armament:
GIAT 30mm internal cannon
External fuel tanks for extended range
Rafale M
🛡️ Combat Capability Highlights
Versatile in roles spanning air superiority, strike missions, reconnaissance, SEAD, and fleet defence escort
Fully operational in night-time, all-weather, and carrier-based combat scenarios
📌 Operational Validation
Successfully demonstrated carrier launch and recovery from INS Vikrant, affirming its suitability for India’s naval strategy
Deployed extensively by France’s Charles de Gaulle nuclear aircraft carrier, with proven combat record in the Middle East and Mediterranean theatres
