India has finalized a $7.41 billion agreement with France to purchase 26 Rafale fighter jets for its navy, a defence ministry official confirmed to Reuters on Monday.
The acquisition, approved earlier this month by India's security cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aims to strengthen the country’s military capabilities.
While the Indian Air Force already operates 36 Rafale jets, the navy’s current fleet primarily consists of Russian MiG-29 aircraft.
The deal is part of India's broader efforts to modernize its armed forces, cut reliance on Russian defense equipment, and expand domestic weapons production, especially amid ongoing tensions with China and Pakistan.
The Indian navy has increasingly voiced concerns over China's growing influence in the Indian Ocean, where Beijing operates dual-purpose vessels and has maintained a military base in Djibouti since 2017.
This purchase also continues India’s long-standing military ties with France, following previous acquisitions such as Mirage 2000 jets in the 1980s and Scorpene-class submarines ordered in 2005.
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The Iranian Health Ministry said at least 18 people were killed and 142 others injured in U.S. airstrikes carried out between 30 August and 2 September.
U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have arrived in Moscow for peace talks on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, two people familiar with the matter said. They were met by Russian Presidential Envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
U.S. efforts to squeeze Iran’s economy through an oil blockade and sanctions are becoming increasingly difficult for Tehran to withstand, according to three senior Iranian sources. Washington is escalating pressure in hopes of securing concessions in future negotiations.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 4th of September, covering the latest developments.
A Chinese national was pulled alive from a tunnel in Nepal on Saturday, authorities said, 10 days after a wall of ice, rock and mud tore through a Himalayan valley, killing more than 1,300 people and leaving more than 5,600 missing.
U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have arrived in Moscow for peace talks on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, two people familiar with the matter said. They were met by Russian Presidential Envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
Spanish authorities are preparing a new site in Ceuta to accommodate hundreds of migrants who remain on the streets following large-scale arrivals in July, local media reported Saturday.
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The resolution, sponsored by African countries and led by Togo, passed by 164 votes to one, with six abstentions. The United States was the only country to vote against it.
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