India signed a deal with France today for the purchase of 26 "Rafale" fighter jets, manufactured by the "Dassault Aviation" company, which will be used for the needs of the Indian Navy, Agence France-Presse reported, citing a statement by the French Ministry of Defense, BTA reports.
"Today we signed a contract for 26 "Rafale" aircraft, a ministry spokesman told AFP.
This order, which has been expected for years, is in addition to the 36 fighters of the same type already purchased by Delhi.
The value of the new deal has not yet been specified by Indian authorities.
The "Rafale" fighters are multi-role combat aircraft capable of performing air defense, reconnaissance and bombing missions. They are also part of the French nuclear deterrent.
These aircraft have been used by the French Navy since 2004 and by the French Air Force since 2006. France currently has 165 Rafale fighter jets, including 41 of the naval version, which are used on aircraft carriers.
A total of 285 aircraft of this type have been sold to various countries since 2015 - 36 to Qatar, 336 to India, 55 to Egypt, 24 (including 12 second-hand) to Greece, 80 to the United Arab Emirates, 42 to Indonesia and 12 second-hand to Croatia, AFP specifies.