During French President François Hollande’s visit to India, French and Indian government authorities signed an intergovernmental agreement paving the way for the conclusion of a contract for the sale of 36 Rafale fighters to India.

Dassault Aviation is very pleased with this progress, and is actively supporting French authorities in their efforts to finalize a complete agreement within the next four weeks.

The Rafale is a twin-jet fighter aircraft able to operate from both an aircraft carrier and a shore base. The fully versatile Rafale is able to carry out all combat aviation missions: air defense, interception, ground support, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence.

The Rafale entered service with the French Navy in 2004 and with the French Air Force in 2006. The Egyptian Air Force received its first aircraft in 2015. The Rafale has proven its worth in combat in Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Iraq and Syria. On 30 June 2015, 138 Rafale aircraft had been delivered.

With more than 8,000 military and civil aircraft delivered to more than 90 countries over the past 60 years, and having logged nearly 28 million flight hours to date, Dassault Aviation can offer recognized know-how and experience in the design, development, sale and support of all types of aircraft, from the Rafale fighter to the Falcon range of high-end business jets, as well as military unmanned air systems.

In 2014, Dassault Aviation reported revenues of €3.68 billion. The company has almost 11,700 employees.