India

Rafale M First Carrier Operations on INS Vikrant

By Rahul Singh

A Rafale M fighter jet landed on and took off from the Indian Navy’s indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant for the first time on Thursday, officials said. The trials are part of the navy’s preparation to operate the 26 Rafale Marine jets that India ordered from France in April 2025. The first deliveries of the aircraft, manufactured by Dassault Aviation under a ₹63,000‑crore contract, are scheduled to begin in 2029 and finish by 2031.

INS Vikrant, commissioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2022, is India’s first domestically built aircraft carrier. The 45,000‑tonne ship, built over 13 years at a cost of ₹20,000 crore, has 76 % indigenous content. It is 262 metres long, has 15 decks and 2,300 compartments, can carry 30 aircraft and a crew of 1,600, and has an endurance of 7,500 nautical miles. The carrier operates MiG‑29K fighters that use a ski‑jump for short take‑off and arrested recovery (STOBAR).

India has operated aircraft carriers for decades. Vikrant is the fourth carrier in service after the original INS Vikrant (British origin, 1961‑1997), INS Viraat (British origin, 1987‑2016), and INS Vikramaditya (Russian origin, 2013‑present).

The Indian Air Force already operates 36 Rafale jets bought from France at a cost of ₹59,000 crore. The IAF may finalise a multi‑role fighter aircraft contract by the end of the 2026‑27 financial year, which would involve the purchase of 114 Rafale jets at roughly ₹3.25 lakh crore. Under the proposed model, Dassault Aviation and a local partner would manufacture the aircraft in India, with France supplying 18 fly‑away jets and the rest built domestically. Twelve Rafales are expected to be produced annually in India.

On October 3, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said the air force is counting on the timely induction of new Rafales, LCA Mk‑1A and additional Sukhoi‑30MKIs to maintain its fighter squadron numbers.

The article was written by Rahul Singh, Defence Editor at Hindustan Times.