India's first batch of Dassault Rafale fighters delayed due to Covid-19 issues

One of India's first Rafale DH fighters during presentation to India's PM. 

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will have to wait longer before the delivery of the first batch of four (4) Dassault Rafale fighters from France.

This is due to Covid-19 pandemic-related lockdown measures implemented in France, as the country struggles to contain its spread.

Instead of May 2020, the revised delivery schedule is now moved to end of July 2020.

India has also put on hold the deployment of 24 IAF pilots and technicians to France due to the lockdown measures, and since Dassault’s Bordeaux-Merignac fighter production facility is also closed until mid-May 2020.

With the situation still difficult to assess, it is still possible that the delays would push through beyond July 2020.

The Indian Ministry of Defence ordered 36 Rafale fighters in 2016, consisting of 28 Rafale EH single-seat and 8 Rafale DH twin-seat fighters under a €7.8 billion contract, with an option for 18 more fighters which the Indian government has not taken yet.


[1] Jane’s Defence Weekly
[2] BBC World