New Delhi: The central government selected a number of Rafale fighters on Saturday to provide the Indian Navy with cutting-edge combat jets.

The Indian Navy will add 26 Rafale warplanes to the 36 sophisticated fighters already in service, according to French aerospace giant Dassault Aviation.

According to Dassault Aviation, “This decision follows a successful trial campaign held in India, during which the Navy Rafale demonstrated that it fully met the operational requirements of the Indian Navy and was perfectly suited to the specifics of its aircraft carrier.”

The statement said, “This selection reaffirms the excellence of the Rafale, the outstanding quality of the connection between Dassault Aviation and the Indian Forces, and the significance of the strategic partnership between India and France.

On Thursday, the 26 Rafale Marine aircraft for the Indian Navy were given Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) by India’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), which is presided over by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

The DAC, which met in person on Thursday, also gave the go-ahead for Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) to purchase three more Scorpene submarines under the Buy (Indian) category.

According to a statement from the Defence Ministry, the French government’s acceptance of the Rafale Marine aircraft, along with related ancillary equipment, weapons, simulator, spares, documentation, crew training, and logistical support for the Indian Navy, has been approved based on an intergovernmental agreement (IGA).

It stated that after taking into account all pertinent factors, including the comparable procurement price of similar aircraft by other countries, the price and other parameters of the purchase will be negotiated with the French government.

After careful discussions, the contract agreements will also include the integration of equipment with Indian design and the creation of an MRO Hub for a number of systems.

According to the press release, the DAC also agreed to establish rules for obtaining the desired indigenous content in all types of capital acquisition instances.

The statement stated that it would aid in achieving “Atmanirbharta” in crucial manufacturing technologies and life-cycle maintenance of defence systems and equipment through indigenous production.

The DAC also resolved, according to the news release, to set guidelines for acquiring the appropriate indigenous content in all scenarios involving capital acquisition.

According to the announcement, indigenous manufacture would help India achieve “Atmanirbharta” in key manufacturing technologies and life-cycle maintenance of defence systems and equipment.