Negotiations between the Indian and French governments for a 50,000 crore deal to acquire the naval version of the 4.5 generation Dassault Rafale jets are to begin on May 30, with a high-level French delegation arriving this week.
The French delegation will meet with officials from the Indian Defence Ministry to begin formal negotiations over the procurement of a naval version of the jets, which will be used by the forces of both aircraft carriers, according to sources.
As per official reports, the French delegation would comprise representatives from the defence ministry and industry, including Dassault Aviation and Thales, original equipment makers.
Members of the Indian Navy and the Defence Acquisition Wing would be on the Indian side.
According to official sources, they plan to wrap up discussions with France and sign the deal by the end of the current fiscal year.
France had responded to India's offer for 26 Rafale Marine fighters for the Indian Navy's aircraft carriers, INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya, in December itself.
France submitted its response to India's Letter of Acceptance in New Delhi.
The Indian side has conducted a thorough analysis of the French proposal for the Indian transaction, including the commercial offer or pricing for the aircraft as well as other contract specifics, they said.
Because the contract is between governments, India will now face difficult discussions with French officials.
The Navy Chief has asked his staff to ensure that the timeline necessary for the project is severely tightened to achieve early finalisation and induction of the planes into the inventory.
Dassault Aviation's Rafale M (Marine or Naval version) is a versatile single-seat aircraft that can execute a variety of missions such as air defence, nuclear deterrent, deep attacks, and reconnaissance.
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