India-France defense relations: India to change plans about Rafale M deal

 

France's recent actions with India were completely unexpected. India was planning to purchase 26 Rafale M fighter jets from France, which are specially modified for naval use on aircraft carriers. India has recently built an aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, and needs these jets for deployment on it. Since India already owns 36 Rafale fighter jets with established maintenance facilities and spare parts supply in the country, acquiring the Rafale M variant seemed like a logical choice.

India approached France for this purchase some time ago, and today France responded with surprising news. France stated that if India wants the 26 fighter jets, it would have to pay double the price compared to the 2016 deal for 36 Rafales. Reports indicate that France is demanding ₹60,000 crore for these 26 Rafale jets, an exceptionally high price.

This demand has stunned the Indian government and military. They estimated that with a 10-12% increase in raw material costs over the past eight years, the maximum cost should be around ₹28,000 to ₹29,000 crore. However, France's demand is ₹60,000 crore, and the reason for such a high price is unclear.

The previous deal was costly because it included setting up maintenance centers, spare parts hubs, and other facilities in India. Now that these facilities are already established, France's demand for double the price is baffling. This could potentially collapse the deal.

Considering this, India might explore other options, such as the F-35A, B, and C variants, which could be cheaper than the Rafale M and offer stealth capabilities. The F-35 can take off and land vertically, unlike the Rafale, which requires a runway.

Given these advantages, India might prefer the F-35. If India wants a non-stealth fighter jet, it could consider Russian options like the MiG or Sukhoi, which have proven performance and cost significantly less.

Thus, India might negotiate one last time with Dassault, the makers of Rafale. If Dassault agrees to reasonable terms, fine; otherwise, India has many other options to consider.