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New Delhi : In a significant development for India’s naval aviation capabilities, a French-origin Rafale Marine fighter jet successfully completed its maiden landing and take-off aboard the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant on Thursday, October 29, 2026.
The Indian Navy released an official video of the successful carrier landing on Friday, showcasing the aircraft completing its first-ever arrested landing on the carrier in its maiden attempt. The achievement marks an important step towards validating the Rafale Marine’s operational compatibility with India’s STOBAR (Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery) carrier system ahead of its planned induction into the Navy.
The milestone comes after a series of shore-based trials at the Shore Based Test Facility (SBTF) at INS Hansa in Goa. The ongoing testing programme is designed to establish the aircraft’s suitability for operations from INS Vikrant, which uses a ski-jump ramp for launching fighter jets and arrestor wires to recover aircraft. This differs from the CATOBAR system operated by France’s aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.
India signed a government-to-government agreement worth approximately ₹63,000 crore with France in April 2025 to acquire 26 Rafale Marine aircraft from Dassault Aviation. The proposed fleet comprises 22 single-seat fighters and four twin-seat trainer variants, with deliveries expected to begin in late 2028 and continue until 2031.
Further trials will focus on validating critical aspects of carrier integration, including weapon pylon configurations, aircraft elevator compatibility and onboard maintenance and support arrangements. These evaluations will help ensure the smooth deployment and operation of the aircraft from India’s aircraft carriers.
Once inducted, the Rafale Marine fighters are expected to operate alongside the Russian-origin MiG-29K fleet, strengthening the Navy’s carrier-based combat capabilities. The aircraft will also serve as an important component of India’s naval aviation plans while the indigenous Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF) programme progresses.
Commissioned in September 2022, INS Vikrant is India’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier. Constructed at a cost of around ₹20,000 crore, the warship features approximately 76 per cent indigenous content and can accommodate up to 30 aircraft.
Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force already operates 36 land-based Rafale fighters and is pursuing discussions over a proposed acquisition of 114 additional multi-role fighter aircraft under the Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) programme, with provisions for domestic manufacturing.
