"A Negotiating Team has been constituted by the Government to negotiate the terms and conditions of the procurement of 36 Rafale jets and recommend the draft agreement. The meetings of the Indian Negotiating Team with the French team have commenced," Parrikar said in a written reply to a question by a member of the upper house of the Indian Parliament.
In June, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that a deal on India’s purchase of French-made Rafale jets could be reached within the next two-three months. Eric Trappier, the head of the Rafale manufacturer Dassault Aviation, had earlier expressed hope that the deal would be finalized before the end of 2015.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the agreement between his country and France on the purchase of 36 Rafale aircraft in April. Initially India planned to buy 126 Rafale jets.
The Dassault Rafale is a multirole fighter jet which can be used for reconnaissance and nuclear strike missions.
