PM Modi’s France visit: What is different about the Rafale jets India is likely to buy?

India is likely to announce its plan to buy the naval version of the Rafale fighter jets during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to France. The Indian leader will be in the European country for a two-day visit starting 13 July.Major defence deals are expected to be a highlight of his trip. According to ANI, India is expected to buy 22 single-seated Dassault Rafale-Marine (M) aircraft and four trainer aircraft. Earlier in 2016, the Modi government had inked a deal to procure 36 Rafale jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF) from France at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore.How are these Rafale-M naval jets different from the IAF’s Rafale aircraft? Let’s take a closer look.Rafale jetsRafale is a twin-jet fighter aircraft with variants that can operate from an air base on land and an aircraft carrier.The fighter aircraft, with canard-delta wing, has Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar with increased situational awareness due to early detection and tracking of multiple targets, reported PTI.As per the French company Dassault Aviation which manufactures these fighter jets, the Rafale “addresses the emerging needs of the armed forces in a changing geopolitical and security context, and, with its endless growth potential”.[caption id="attachment_12854852" align="alignnone" width="640"] India procured 36 Rafale jets for the Indian Air Force from France at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore. Reuters File Photo[/caption]From aerial reconnaissance, ground support, in-depth strike, and anti-ship strike to nuclear deterrence, Rafales can carry out a wide range of functions, says the company.ALSO READ: What to expect from PM Narendra Modi’s France visitRafale-M featuresRafale-M has a strengthened undercarriage and a "jump strut" nosewheel that expands during short takeoffs, such as catapult launches, reported The Times of India (TOI).Equipped with a microwave landing system, the naval version of Rafale has a “fin-tip Telemir system for syncing the inertial navigation system”, the newspaper added.The Rafale-M has a nosegear-mounted catapult hook which will “enable the aircraft to be aligned and correctly tensioned, ready for catapulting, increasing launch speed and eliminating the need for deck crew to work under the aircraft,” according to the FlightGlobal article.The fighter jet has a tailhook or arresting hook to stop the plane during landings.

Rafale-M can carry an array of weapons, including anti-ship missiles and air-to-surface missiles.

DifferencesBoth Rafale-M and IAF’s Rafale aircraft are multirole fighter jets. According to the Dassault website, Air Force’s single-seat Rafale-C and two-seat Rafale-B and navy's Rafale-M have the same maximum airframe as well as similar mission capabilities.As per TOI, while Rafales are identical, there are some variations. The naval version has a “longer, more strengthened nose” and reinforced undercarriage, the report added.[caption id="attachment_12854882" align="alignnone" width="640"] Rafale Marine fighter jets parked on the flight deck of France's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier. Reuters File Photo[/caption]The maritime version of Rafale operates from aircraft carriers. As per The Wire, Rafale-M fighters would operate from the flight deck of indigenously designed aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant.Rafale-M has a different radar system, Thales RBE2-M, which is designed for maritime operations. Its electronic warfare suite, the Thales SPECTRA, is also different, reported TOI.Will a deal be signed during Modi’s France visit?As per ThePrint, defence and security establishment sources said that New Delhi could announce its intention to purchase the Rafale-M for the Indian Navy during Modi’s visit.However, no deal will be signed as it will then lead to cost negotiations between the two sides. A final agreement will be inked only after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the report added.A four-star Indian Navy officer, on condition of anonymity, told The Wire that even after the deal is announced, it would take at least a year to discuss the cost and other technicalities. The officer added that platform deliveries will only begin after another three years.“Hence, the sooner the deal is announced the quicker the Indian Navy would receive its fighters, which had already been significantly delayed”, the officer stated.Prime Minister Modi first announced the Rafale deal in Paris in early 2015. It was signed in September 2016, with the first five deliveries of the jets for the IAF in July 2020. The delivery was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and India finally received all 36 aircraft by last December.“The timeline for the IAF Rafale purchase was a realistic indicator regarding the schedule [for] the proposed Indian Navy deal with Dassault for its maritime variant [that] would follow,” a two-star naval officer told The Wire.The officer said, thus, it was "imperative" for the Indian Navy that the deal for Rafale-M is announced in July itself, reported the news outlet.The Indian Navy currently operates Russian MiG 29K aircraft from INS Vikramaditya. However, since the commissioning of INS Vikrant, the force is keen on securing more fighter jets. These Rafale-M fighters could enhance India's naval air prowess.With inputs from agencies