NEW DELHI: India’s defence ministry has given initial approval to purchase 26 Rafale fighter jets for its navy and three Scorpene class submarines, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s arrival in France, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said.

Modi is on his way to deepen ties with New Delhi’s oldest strategic partner in the West, with a slew of high-profile defence deals expected and a new joint plan to ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific.

The Singh-led Defence Acquisition Council, the apex body for military capital procurements, granted the approvals on Thursday.

The deal will be for the purchase of 26 Dassault Aviation Rafale fighter jets, including four trainers, and for three Scorpene class submarines to be made by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders with France’s Naval Group, two sources familiar with the details told Reuters.

The ageing fleet of India’s Russian-made platforms, Moscow’s inability to perform maintenance work, and delays in India’s indigenous manufacturing plans for parallel platforms have necessitated the two new defence deals.

The marine version of Dassualt’s Rafale jets, intended for India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier commissioned last year, outperformed the American Superhornet F18s in tests last year for Indian requirements.