New Delhi: Progress is underway for the Indian Navy's aspiration to incorporate Rafale fighter jets onto its aircraft carriers, INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya. France has responded officially to the Navy's request for 26 fighter jets with a comprehensive bid. Evaluations of this bid by New Delhi will precede contract negotiations with Paris, with the anticipated deal hovering around 5.5 billion euros, roughly Rs. 50,000 crore. Notably, India previously procured 36 Rafale aircraft for the Indian Air Force.

The intent behind acquiring Rafale jets is to reinforce the existing fleet of MiG-29K jets aboard the carriers, a fleet marred by reliability issues. The deficiencies in the MiG-29K were underscored in a 2016 Comptroller and Auditor General report, which highlighted multiple problems within the carrier-borne multi-role aircraft, essential for fleet air defense.

While improvements have been made to the availability of MiG-29K, the Indian Navy seeks the Rafale's inclusion, especially given China's impending induction of its third aircraft carrier. Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of Naval Staff, stated, "Currently, MiG-29 jets are part of the INS Vikrant fighter fleet. The state-of-the-art French fighter jets Rafale-M will replace MiG-29s," in August.

Sources within the Navy have expressed concerns about the likelihood of China deploying a carrier battle group in the Indian Ocean shortly. The decision to pursue Rafale jets is influenced by this geopolitical context.

China's establishment of its first overseas base in Djibouti within the Indian Ocean further accentuates the strategic concerns. This base, costing $590 million, secures the Bab-El-Mandeb Strait, a pivotal location between the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, guarding the approach to the Suez Canal, a crucial artery for global trade.

Naval Analyst HI Sutton of Covert Shores remarked, "China's Djibouti base is fortified with layers of defenses resembling a modern-day colonial fort, evidently designed to withstand direct assaults."

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