A significant step in India’s naval aviation programme was recorded on 29 October 2026, when a Rafale Marine fighter aircraft carried out an arrested landing on INS Vikrant on its maiden attempt. The Indian Navy confirmed the development on 30 October and said the ongoing trials are the first steps towards operationalisation of the aircraft.
According to the Navy’s statement, “A Rafale Marine aircraft successfully landed onboard Indian Navy’s indigenous Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant on its maiden attempt on 29 Oct 26. The ongoing trials mark the first steps towards operationalisation of the aircraft in the Indian Navy.” The landing was conducted under the command of Captain Ashok Rao, NM, Commanding Officer of INS Vikrant, and the Navy also released video footage of the event.
Trials before the shipboard landing
The carrier landing came after shore-based trials at the Shore-Based Test Facility (SBTF) at INS Hansa in Goa. That facility reproduces the ski-jump ramp and arrestor-wire setup used on Indian aircraft carriers, allowing the Navy to assess what changes, if any, were needed for the Rafale M to operate from INS Vikrant.
What the compatibility check means
The Rafale M is built for Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR), the system used by the French Navy’s aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. INS Vikrant, however, uses Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR), in which aircraft launch from a ski-jump ramp and recover with arrestor wires. The successful maiden landing indicates that the aircraft can work with Vikrant’s system after the necessary assessments and modifications.
One practical issue under review is the Rafale M’s fixed, non-folding wing design. Its wingspan is about 10.9 metres, which is wider than the roughly 10-metre aircraft lifts on INS Vikrant, originally designed for the folding-wing MiG-29K. Work is under way to modify the lifts, and operational procedures may include temporary removal of wingtip pylons while moving between the flight deck and hangar. Similar space constraints also exist on INS Vikramaditya.
Deal, timeline and role in the fleet
The development is tied to India’s acquisition of 26 Rafale Marine aircraft from France. India and France signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement on 28 April 2025 for the package, valued at approximately ₹63,000 crore. The order includes 22 single-seat fighters and four twin-seat trainers, along with weapons, simulators, training, and logistics support.
Deliveries are expected to begin in late 2028 or 2029 and continue until 2030–2031. The aircraft will operate from both INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya.
The Rafale M is a twin-engine multirole carrier-based fighter manufactured by Dassault Aviation. Its listed roles include air defence, maritime strike, reconnaissance, and deep-strike missions. The aircraft is equipped with advanced sensors, electronic warfare systems, and weapons such as the Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, MICA missiles, SCALP cruise missiles, and Exocet anti-ship missiles.
Once inducted, the Rafale Marine is expected to operate alongside and eventually help replace the Navy’s MiG-29K fleet, serving as an interim capability until the indigenous Twin-Engine Deck-Based Fighter (TEDBF) becomes available. The acquisition also provides logistical commonality with the Indian Air Force’s existing Rafale fleet.
The first successful landing is an early milestone in the integration process, but further trials will continue to determine the aircraft’s full suitability for sustained carrier operations from India’s indigenous and existing aircraft carriers.
