SOURCE: IDRW.ORG
In a significant step toward modernizing its carrier-based aviation, the Indian Navy is set to commence training its pilots to operate the Dassault Rafale M (Marine) fighter jets starting in 2026. This development follows the signing of a ?63,887 crore ($7.4 billion) inter-governmental agreement with France on April 28, 2025, for 26 Rafale M jets to equip the aircraft carriers INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya.
According to sources cited by idrw.org, Dassault Aviation, in collaboration with the French Navy, will oversee the training program, leveraging the French Navy’s expertise and its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, Charles de Gaulle. The first Rafale M is slated for delivery in the second quarter of 2028, with the full order completed by the end of 2030. This article explores the training plan, the role of Indian MiG-29K pilots as instructors, and the strategic implications for India’s naval aviation amid regional tensions with Pakistan and China.
The Rafale M, a carrier-capable variant of the omnirole 4.5-generation fighter, requires specialized skills for short takeoff but arrested recovery (STOBAR) operations on India’s aircraft carriers. To facilitate this transition, Dassault Aviation has committed to a comprehensive training program, supported by the French Navy’s operational experience with the Rafale M since 2001. According to idrw.org, the French Navy will make its Rafale M aircraft and the Charles de Gaulle available for Indian pilots, offering hands-on training in carrier-based operations, including ski-jump takeoffs and arrested landings.
The training will occur in both France and India, with the French component leveraging the Charles de Gaulle’s advanced facilities. The carrier, equipped with catapults and arrestor wires, differs from India’s STOBAR-configured INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya, but the French Navy’s expertise in Rafale M operations will ensure Indian pilots master the aircraft’s nuances. Training typically spans several months, requiring a minimum number of flight hours, including specific hours as pilot-in-command and in instrument flying, to achieve proficiency. An idrw.org source noted that this rigorous process ensures pilots are adept at handling the Rafale M’s advanced systems, such as the RBE2-AA AESA radar, SPECTRA electronic warfare suite, and Meteor long-range missiles, in maritime environments.
A key element of the training strategy involves upskilling Indian Navy pilots who are already qualified instructors on the MiG-29K, the current mainstay of India’s carrier fleet. These pilots, experienced in STOBAR operations on INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya, will undergo specialized Rafale M training in France. Upon completion, they will return to India as instructors, training additional Indian pilots to operate the Rafale M. This train-the-trainer approach, as reported by idrw.org, ensures scalability and reduces dependency on foreign instructors, aligning with India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative.
The MiG-29K, despite its operational challenges—such as low serviceability rates (around 60% due to engine issues and spare shortages, per a 2020 audit)—has provided the Indian Navy with valuable carrier aviation experience since 2009. Transitioning MiG-29K instructors to the Rafale M leverages their expertise in naval operations while addressing the Russian jet’s limitations, including outdated radar and less versatile weaponry compared to the Rafale M’s Meteor and Exocet missiles. The commonality between the Rafale M and the 36 Rafale jets operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF) will further streamline training, as pilots can share logistical and operational insights, per a Defence Ministry statement.
The delivery schedule, as outlined by idrw.org, begins with the first Rafale M arriving in Q2 2028 (April–June), approximately 37 months after the contract signing. Deliveries will progress with nine jets in 2028, 12 in 2029, and five in 2030, completing the order of 22 single-seat Rafale M and four twin-seat trainer variants by year-end 2030. The twin-seat trainers, restricted to shore-based operations due to their lack of carrier compatibility, will support simulator-based training, addressing concerns raised by an Indian Navy officer about limited real-world carrier training.
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