New Delhi: Ahead of the scheduled visit of Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to the country, France has submitted the final price offer to India for the 26 Rafale Marine Jet deal.
The best and final price offer has been submitted to the Indian authorities by the French side for the project and a significant price reduction has been given after tough negotiations in the proposed contract, defence sources told a leading news agency.
The deal for buying 26 Rafale Marine jets are being negotiated by India and France. Rafale Marine jets are going to be deployed on the INS Vikrant aircraft carrier and different bases. Last week, the two sides had also held negotiations when a French team was in the national capital for finalising the discussions with India.
During the India-France Strategic Dialogue in Paris, where the Indian NSA is scheduled to meet his French counterparts, the deal is scheduled to be taken up for discussion. The deal is important for the Indian Navy as it is looking at strengthening its maritime strike capability.
India has also approved deviations in the letter of request, which is the tender document equivalent in government-to-government deals, like the integration of the indigenous Uttam radar in the jets for the Indian Navy. According to sources, the integration would have taken a longer time of around eight years along with a high price to be paid to the French side for doing so.
India had also asked France for integration of indigenous weapons on the plane. This includes the Astra beyond visual range missiles along with the Rudram anti-radiation missiles.
The price for the deal has been based on the agreements over rate it inflation to be taken into account and would be using the previous deal for 36 Rafale fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force as the basis, the sources added.
Moreover, some of the Indian Air Force requirements have also been incorporated in the naval deal which will include around 40 drop tanks and a small number of work stations for the planes. Planned to be concluded before the end of this financial year, the Indian side is also going to get more number of long-range air-to-air Meteor missiles.
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