New Delhi, Oct. 21 -- Trials of the Rafale Marine fighter aircraft are being carried out in Goa by the Indian Navy. The trials are for the modifications to the aircraft required for carrying out operations from the Indian aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, Defence officials said on Wednesday.

The Indian Navy has signed a contract for 26 Rafale Marines, which are scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2028 or early 2029, as per the officials.

The Rafale-Marine (Rafale-M) is a fighter jet designed to operate from aircraft carriers at sea. It is built by Dassault Aviation of France and is already being used by the French Navy.

On April 28, 2025, India signed a significant defence agreement with France to procure 26 Rafale-Marine fighter jets,...