With the Indian Air Force close to floating international tenders for acquiring 126 multi-role combat aircraft, French defence major Dassault Aviation has offered to sell Rafale, its latest fighters.
The offer was made by Chacks Edelstenne, CEO of Dassault Aviation, when he called on Rao Inderjit Singh, Minister of State for Defence, on Monday. Marshal AK Nangalia, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff was also present.
Edelstenne told PTI that his company informed the minister of Dassault's decision not to field its upgraded Mirage 2000-5 for the Indian deal.
The French Mirages were leading contenders for the Indian sale, as the IAF already has 40 Mirage-2000D aircraft in its inventory.
"We are on the verge of closing the Mirage fighter assembly line and want to offer India a quantum jump in technology in the shape of upgraded new multi-mission Rafales," he said.
"Though India has not not floated the Request for Proposals, we have offered to supply 40 Rafale multi-mission fighters in a single source deal," Edelstenne, who is in India as part of French President Jacques Chirac's entourage, said.
