Indian Navy to replace MiG-29Ks with Rafale-M fighter jets

India and France signed a $7.4 billion agreement on Monday for the purchase of 26 Rafale Marine fighter jets.

The Dassault Aviation-built Rafale-M aircraft will replace the aging Russian-made MiG-29K fighters currently deployed on India’s two aircraft carriers, INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya.

Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2029 and conclude by 2031.

The Indian Air Force already operates 36 Rafale jets acquired under a separate agreement.

The move comes as New Delhi works to reduce its reliance on Russian-origin equipment amid rising tensions along its borders with Pakistan and China.

The latest deal also extends India’s history of relying on French military hardware. This includes the Mirage 2000 fighter jets acquired in the 1980s and the Scorpene-class submarines ordered in 2005.