SOURCE: AFI
India’s defense capabilities received a major boost with the recent procurement of 26 Rafale-Marine (Rafale-M) aircraft for the Indian Navy, a deal signed on April 28, 2025, as reported by Republic World. This acquisition complements the 36 Rafale jets already in service with the Indian Air Force (IAF), but while the two variants share core technologies, the Rafale-M is uniquely tailored for naval operations. Here’s a closer look at how the Navy’s Rafale-M differs from the IAF’s Rafale fleet and what this means for India’s military strategy.
The Rafale-M is designed specifically for carrier-based operations, a stark contrast to the IAF’s Rafale C, which operates from land-based airfields. The Rafale-M features reinforced landing gear and a tail hook, enabling it to handle the stresses of landing on the short runways of aircraft carriers like INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant. Its airframe is also strengthened to endure the rigors of catapult launches and arrested landings, a necessity for naval aviation but irrelevant for the IAF’s land-based operations.
Operationally, the Rafale-M is tailored for maritime combat, focusing on anti-ship strikes, air superiority over sea, and defense of naval assets. It’s equipped with the Thales RBE2-M radar, optimized for maritime operations, and a SPECTRA electronic warfare suite adapted for naval missions, enhancing its ability to detect and engage naval targets. The IAF’s Rafale C, however, is a multi-role fighter geared for diverse missions like air superiority, ground strikes, and nuclear deterrence, primarily over land. While both share the same engines, avionics, and weapons like the Meteor missile, the Rafale-M’s compatibility with a wider range of anti-ship and air-to-surface missiles gives it an edge in maritime strike roles.
The commonality between the two variants—sharing about 80% of components—offers significant logistical advantages. This synergy optimizes training, maintenance, and spares management, fostering seamless integration between the Navy and IAF. However, the Rafale-M’s naval adaptations make it slightly heavier, and its carrier-specific features like the Telemir system for syncing navigation add complexity not needed in the IAF’s version.
This procurement, valued at ?63,000 crore, not only strengthens the Navy’s air operations but also enhances joint capabilities with the IAF, especially as upgrades like buddy-buddy refueling are extended to the IAF fleet. Yet, the Rafale-M is an interim solution until the indigenous Twin-Engine Deck-Based Fighter (TEDBF) becomes operational, potentially in the next decade. For now, the Rafale-M positions India to better counter regional threats, particularly China’s growing naval presence in the Indian Ocean, but reliance on foreign platforms raises questions about long-term self-reliance in defense manufacturing.
NOTE: AFI is a proud outsourced content creator partner of IDRW.ORG. All content created by AFI is the sole property of AFI and is protected by copyright. AFI takes copyright infringement seriously and will pursue all legal options available to protect its content.