India pivots to France for fighter jets, ditching Russian MiG‑29K
India has reached an agreement with France concerning the purchase of Rafale M fighter jets. Analysts at Ukraine's Defense Express highlight that these aircraft are intended to eventually replace the Russian MiG-29K fighters, which have demonstrated their full range of flaws in India.
According to Asian media, under the agreement between Paris and New Delhi, the Indian Navy will acquire 26 Rafale M carrier-based fighters. The signing of the contract is scheduled for the end of April, during an official visit by the French defence minister to India.
India has had enough of Russian MiG-29K
The French aircraft will operate from the Indian Navy's aircraft carriers INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya. Currently, the backbone of the country's carrier aviation consists of Russian MiG-29K fighters, which have earned a bad reputation over the years.
Analysts at Ukraine's Defense Express remind us that plans to purchase additional MiG-29K units were quickly abandoned. Instead, the Indian authorities focused on designing their own aircraft and making foreign purchases, but not from Russia. Only the F/A-18 Super Hornet and Rafale M were considered. The MiG-29K fighters have shown all their negative sides in India, primarily due to low readiness to fly caused by frequent malfunctions (defective landing gear and even cracked fuselages), as well as issues from weak engines and a series of accidents and crashes, leading to the loss of several units.
India increasingly favours French aircraft
The Rafale M is a fighter jet adapted for carrier operations. It is somewhat heavier (due to a strengthened structure and several additional elements, such as an arrestor hook system) than the basic Rafale, yet it is still capable of reaching speeds of 1.8 Mach (approximately 1,200 mph). Its armament can include various types of missiles, including long-range air-to-air Meteor missiles.
India, which for years maintained military ties with Russia and purchased the vast majority of its armaments from that country, is increasingly opting for Western aircraft, including French ones. The Indian Air Force now has 36 Rafale fighters at its disposal. Another example of India’s shift away from Russia and towards Western equipment is the choice of American P-8 Poseidon patrol aircraft instead of the post-Soviet Il-38SD.
