According to information published by the New Indian Express on March 22, 2023, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to clear the multi-billion dollar acquisition of 26 Rafale Marine fighters.
The Rafale M is a French twin-engine, delta-wing, multirole combat aircraft designed and manufactured by Dassault Aviation. It is a naval variant of the Rafale family, specifically developed for the French Navy to operate from aircraft carriers. The “M” in Rafale M stands for “Marine,” which indicates its naval capability.
The Rafale M can carry a wide range of weapons, including air-to-air missiles (such as MICA and Meteor), air-to-ground missiles (such as SCALP-EG and AASM), anti-ship missiles (such as Exocet and ANF), and a 30mm GIAT 30 DEFA cannon.