New Delhi: India is set to seal the proposed procurement of 26 naval variants of Rafale jets and three additional Scorpene submarines soon, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi said on Monday. At a media briefing ahead of Navy Day, Admiral Tripathi also said that the government's approval for two SSNs (nuclear-powered submarines) indicated its faith in the country's indigenous capabilities to build such boats.
The Navy chief also said that 62 ships and a submarine are currently under construction within the country as part of efforts to boost its naval power. A large number of platforms are waiting for induction in the next year and at least one ship will be inducted into the Navy, he said. "We have redoubled efforts to include niche technologies into the force," Admiral Tripathi said.
The procurement of Rafale-M (naval variant) and the Scorpene submarines is likely to be finalised next month, he added. In July last year, the defence ministry approved the purchase of the Rafale-M jets from France, primarily for deployment on board the indigenously built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. On Pakistan's efforts to increase its maritime prowess, Admiral Tripathi said the Indian Navy is ready to deal with any possible threat from neighbouring countries.
