India, France ink Rs 60,000 crore deal for Rafale fighter jets

India and France on Monday inked a Memorandum of Understanding on purchase of 36 Rafale aircrafts.

New Delhi: India and France on Monday exchanged 13 agreements, cutting across a wide variety of sectors.

One of the most sought Memorandum of Understanding was signed between India and France on purchase of 36 Rafale aircrafts.

The purchase of the 36 Rafale jets from France would cost India around Rs 60,000 crore.

Three space technology related agreements were also signed, namely, ISRO and CNES Implementation Arrangement on hosting Argos-4 Payload onboard India's Oceansat-3 satellite; ISRO and CNES Implementation Arrangement on a future joint Thermal Infrared earth observation mission; Letter of Intent on CNES, France participation in ISRO's next Mars Mission.

A shareholding agreement was also signed on joint venture between Alstom and Indian Railways for production of 800 electric locomotives in Madhepura Bihar. There was also an agreement between Indian Railways and SNCF, French Railways for joint feasibility study for the renovation of Ludhiana and Ambala railway stations.

One among the most important agreement included the declaration of intent for conducting next round of Namaste France (Indian festival) in 2016 and Bonjour India (French festival) in 2017. There was an agreement on cultural exchange programme for the period 2016-2018 too.

Four techonology related agreements were also reached while the French President visited India.

There was an agreement on the arrangement for establishment of an Indo- French Ministerial level Joint Committee on Science and Technology. An MoU for Industry Sponsored Ph.D Fellowship between IIT Mumbai and Thales Systemes Aeroportes was also signed.

A cooperation agreement between IISER, Pune and ENS de Lyon ( France) for joint research, teaching, exchange of personnel etc. Was signed along with an agreement of Cooperation between CNRS, TB, UBO, UBS,ENSTA Bretagne, ENIB (French Universities) and IIT Mumbai in the field of Higher Education and Research.