India signs $7.4 billion deal to buy 26 Rafale fighter jets

India signed a deal with France on Monday to buy 26 Rafale fighter aircraft worth 630 billion rupees ($7.4 billion) for its navy, the Indian defence ministry said in a statement. India will buy 22 single-seater and four twin-seater fighters, made by France’s Dassault Aviation, the ministry said, in a deal that would boost the Asian country’s defence ties with its second-largest arms supplier. “The delivery of these aircraft would be completed by 2030, with the crew undergoing training in France and India,” the ministry said, adding that the deal is expected to generate thousands of jobs and revenue for a large number of businesses.