Paris: India has agreed to acquire 36 Rafale fighter jets from Dassault Aviation SA, marking another victory in France’s push to compete with American-made combat planes.
The deal, announced during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit to Paris on Friday, aims to wrap up more than three years of protracted negotiations between India’s government and Dassault Aviation. French officials said both sides were still negotiating the final details of the acquisition, including the final price.
Mr. Modi told reporters he had asked for the jet fighters to be “ready to fly in the near future.”
The contract with India is the biggest ever for the Rafale jet—a workhorse of the French air force that until recently has struggled to draw interest from foreign militaries. A breakthrough came in February when Egypt became the first foreign buyer with an order of 24 jets for about €5 billion.
10/04/2015 Stacy Meichtry /Santanu Choudhury/ Wall Street Journal.
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The deal, announced during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit to Paris on Friday, aims to wrap up more than three years of protracted negotiations between India’s government and Dassault Aviation. French officials said both sides were still negotiating the final details of the acquisition, including the final price.
Mr. Modi told reporters he had asked for the jet fighters to be “ready to fly in the near future.”
The contract with India is the biggest ever for the Rafale jet—a workhorse of the French air force that until recently has struggled to draw interest from foreign militaries. A breakthrough came in February when Egypt became the first foreign buyer with an order of 24 jets for about €5 billion.
10/04/2015 Stacy Meichtry /Santanu Choudhury/ Wall Street Journal.
