Rafale fighter jets: The Rafale is a twin-jet fighter aircraft

The Rafale is a twin-jet fighter aircraft able to operate from both an aircraft carrier and a shore base. The fully versatile Rafale is able to carry out all combat aviation missions: air superiority and air defense, close air support, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence. India signed a ₹63,000 crore deal with France in April 2025 for 26 Rafale-Marine jets. These jets can operate from aircraft carriers and are built for naval missions. The deal includes training, weapons, simulators, and long-term support. Rafale-Ms will be deployed on INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya. India’s acquisition of Rafale fighter jets has significantly boosted the combat capability of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and is now also expanding to the Indian Navy. This article explores how many Rafale jets India currently has, what’s been ordered, their operational role, and what the public is most curious about regarding this powerful aircraft. Total Number of Rafale Jets Acquired by India India signed a €7.87 billion deal with Dassault Aviation in 2016 to acquire 36 Rafale ... Rafale-M Jets Latest News Recently, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by the Prime Minister, approved a ₹63,000-crore deal for procuring 26 Rafale-M fighter jets from France for the Indian Navy. Background Initially, under the MMRCA tender (2007), India planned to acquire 126 jets with technology transfer, which was shelved in 2015. A direct deal in 2016 led to 36 Rafale jets for the IAF, delivered between 2019-2022. Details of the Deal The deal includes 22 single-seater ...