PARIS, Apr 11: India will buy 36 Rafale fighter jets in flyaway condition from France “as soon as possible” after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande today agreed to conclude an Inter-Governmental Agreement bypassing the protracted negotiations for purchase of 126 such jets.
Taking Indo-French strategic relationship to a new level Modi and Hollande also decided to move ahead with the stalled Jaitapur nuclear project in Maharashtra.
“Keeping in view the critical operational necessity of fighter aircraft in India, I have asked President to provide 36 Rafale jets in fly-away condition as quickly as possible after agreements between both countries.
We both have decided that these will be provided to India in modified terms and conditions,” Modi announced at a joint news conference with Hollande after their summit talks at Elysee Palace.
A joint statement issued after the talks said the two leaders agreed to conclude an Inter-Governmental Agreement for supply of the aircraft on terms that would be “better” than that conveyed as part of a separate process underway, an apparent reference to the ongoing talks that kicked off in 2012 for years for the sale of 126 Rafale fighter jets valued at 12 billion USD.
“The delivery would be in time-frame that would be compatible with the operational requirement of IAF and the aircraft and associated systems and weapons would be delivered on the same configuration as had been tested and approved by Indian Air Force and with a longer maintenance responsibility by France,” it added.
With ‘Make-in-India’ being the theme, the two sides signed about 20 pacts, covering areas like civil nuclear energy, urban development, railways and space. (agencies)
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