MOSCOW, April 10 (Sputnik) — The leaders of India and France agreed on Friday on the delivery of 36 Rafale multirole fighter aircraft, said a joint statement published by India's foreign ministry.
The published statement said:
“Government of India conveyed to the Government of France that in view of the critical operational necessity for Multirole Combat Aircraft for Indian Air Force, Government of India would like to acquire [36] Rafale jets in fly-away condition as quickly as possible."
The announcement follows Modi's meeting with French President Francois Hollande during his official visit to France.
The two leaders agreed to "conclude an Inter-Governmental Agreement for supply of the aircraft on terms that would be better than conveyed by Dassault Aviation as part of a separate process underway."
The aircraft are to be delivered within a time frame compatible with the Indian Armed Forces operational requirements, with configurations tested and approved by India, and with a longer maintenance responsibility by France, according to the statement.
The multibillion dollar project has long been surrounded by uncertainty due to its high costs and Dassault’s unwillingness to guarantee the performance of Rafale aircraft produced in India under transfer of technology agreements.
In addition to the Rafale issue, Modi and Hollande discussed a wide range of topics, signing a total of 17 agreements in fields including nuclear energy, science and culture.
