India will buy 26 Rafale marine fighter jets for the navy in a government-to-government deal worth over ₹63,000 crore and an agreement is expected to be signed during the French defence minister’s visit later this month, sources saidon Wednesday.

“The deal is likely to be signed later this month when French defence minister Sébastien Lecornu visits India. Deliveries are expected five years after the deal is confirmed,” a defence ministry official said.

Sources said the navy would receive 22 single-seater jets, along with four twin-seater variants, and a comprehensive package for fleet maintenance, logistical support, personnel training and indigenous manufacturing components under offset obligations. The deal also includes training for navy personnel.

Once delivered, the Rafale jets will be deployed primarily on board the indigenously built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant as India looks to strengthen maritime strike capabilities, especially in the Indian Ocean Region.

Sources said the Rafale-M jets, manufactured by Dassault Aviation, are expected to be delivered within 37 to 65 months after the contract is signed, with all jets slated for delivery by 2030-31.

In the past, another Rafale deal was mired in controversy when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced it during his April 2015 visit to France.

The terms of the ₹59,000-crore deal for the sale of 36 Rafale fighter jets, formally signed in September 2016, had an offset clause according to which the supplier had to spend half the money in India.

French company Dassault Aviation decided to end its negotiations with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and created a joint venture with Anil Ambani’s Reliance Infrastructure to meet its offset obligations, leading to allegations that the Modi government was giving preferential treatment to the industrialist. The Congress had accused Modi of violating procedures to favour Reliance Infrastructure.