Dassault Rafale

Just a month after signing a government-to-government deal with France's Dassault Aviation for acquiring 36 Rafale fighter jets, India has hinted that it will purchase 200-300 more fighters, if foreign companies agree to manufacture those aircraft under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' programme.

After long dilly-dallying, India signed a contract with France on Friday for acquiring 36 Rafale fighter jets. Under the agreement, French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation SA is likely to deliver those fighter jets between 36 and 66 months from the date (September 23) the contract is signed in New Delhi.

Finally, India has struck a deal with France to acquire 36 Rafale fighter jets.

France continues the military operation against the ISIS with Rafale jet fighters taking off from Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to strike ISIS targets at Syria and Iraq.

France carried out its first reconnaissance flight over Syria earlier on Sept. 8 using Rafale fighter jets, the French Ministry of Defence said, as it extends its combat against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants. 

President Francois Hollande and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani signed on May 4 a 6.3 billion euro ($7.02 billion) agreement for the sale of 24 Dassault Aviation-built Rafale fighter jets.

Qatar has agreed to buy 24 Dassault Aviation-built Rafale fighter jets in a deal worth 6.3 billion euros ($7 billion), the French government said April 30, as the Gulf Arab state looks to boost its military firepower amid regional instability. 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in France on April 10 as part of a trans-Atlantic tour, with French authorities hoping to further strengthen relations with the fast-growing Asian nation amid talks about a possible fighter-jet deal.

France deployed an aircraft carrier in the Gulf on Feb. 23 as part of the US-led military campaign against the Islamic Stateof Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a defence ministry official said.
      

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Sunday that French fighter jets are expected to arrive in Jordan and join operations against Islamic State (IS) in Iraq.