SAINT-CLOUD, France, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- India signed an agreement Friday with France's Dassault Aviation for the acquisition of 36 Rafale fighter jets.
The deal is said to be worth about $8.8 billion and follows years of negotiations.
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Thirty-six Rafale fighters have been sold to India. French Air Force photo.
"I am honored and delighted by the decision of the Indian authorities, which gives new impetus to our partnership for the coming decades, and I thank them for their confidence," said Eric Trappier, Dassault Aviation chairman and chief executive officer. "Together, Indian and French companies alike, we will endeavor to ensure ambitious industrial cooperation.
"I am certain that the Rafale and its performance will hold high the colors of the Indian Air Force. It will demonstrate unstinting efficiency in protecting the people of India and the sovereignty of the world's largest democracy."
The Rafale is a twin-engine, canard delta wing, multi-role fighter. It has a top speed of 1,188 miles per hour. It has been used by the French armed forces in combat operations for more than a decade.
Deliveries are expected to begin in three years.
