Rafale M Conducts Maiden Trials onboard Indian Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant

A French Rafale M successfully landed on INS Vikrant during its maiden carrier landing attempt on October 29, 2026. This matters because carrier aircraft must prove they can safely operate from a moving, confined deck. The event marks the first step toward operationalising the Rafale M in the Indian Navy.

The trial followed testing at India's Shore Based Test Facility near INS Hansa in Goa. The aircraft involved is understood to have come from the French Marine Nationale fleet. The landing therefore tested the Rafale M against India's carrier environment, rather than only on a land runway.

The result supports India's plan to introduce 26 naval Rafales. Further work remains, including adapting carrier systems and elevators to accommodate the fighter's non-folding wings. Similar changes will be needed on INS Vikramaditya before it can operate the Rafale M.

The Rafale M is the Marine, or naval, version of Dassault's Rafale fighter. India selected it to operate from aircraft carriers and complement or replace its MiG-29K/KUB fleet. Its importance lies in giving the Navy a modern fighter suited to carrier operations, not simply another land-based aircraft.

The article highlights a major physical difference: the Rafale M's delta wings do not fold. Its wingspan is also greater than INS Vikrant's aircraft-elevator dimensions. The Navy therefore needs detachable missile rails at the wingtips, plus elevator modifications and specialised systems. The article does not detail every structural difference from the Rafales used by the Indian Air Force.

India already operates 36 IAF Rafales, while the Navy is buying the Marine version. The naval aircraft will require carrier adaptation, including deck trials and ship changes. Its twin-seat Rafale DH trainers are not carrier capable because the Marine version has no twin-seat trainer.

India's Ministry of Defence signed a $7.5 billion agreement in April 2025 for 26 Dassault Rafales for the Indian Navy. The package contains 22 Rafale M fighters and four Rafale DH trainer aircraft. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2029.

The 22 Rafale M aircraft are the carrier-capable combat fighters. They are intended to operate from India's carriers, INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya, after the necessary ship modifications. The four Rafale DH aircraft are twin-seat trainers. They are included to support conversion and training, but they cannot operate from the carriers.

The reason is specific to the naval design. The Rafale Marine version does not have a twin-seat trainer, so the DH aircraft are not carrier-capable. A Rafale with India-specific modifications was to be readied for trials in 2026, leading to the successful Vikrant landing.

Operating the Rafale M at sea requires changes because its delta wings are not foldable. The wingspan exceeds the dimensions of INS Vikrant's aircraft elevators. This creates a practical problem: aircraft must move between the flight deck and internal storage spaces without exceeding the elevators' available width.

The reported solution includes detachable missile rails at the wing tips. Naval News also reports that small elevator modifications are needed, along with specialised systems to accommodate the fighters. These changes should help the carrier handle the Rafale M despite its wider, non-folding wings.

INS Vikramaditya will need similar modifications before it can operate the aircraft. The requirement is important because the Navy plans to split the fighters between Vikrant and Vikramaditya. The successful Vikrant landing shows progress, but ship integration remains part of the path to operational use.

Choosing the Rafale M gives India commonality with the Indian Air Force, which already has 36 Rafales. This can simplify cooperation around training, support, weapons, maintenance knowledge, and infrastructure. It also connects the Navy's purchase with the IAF's expected requirement for 114 more aircraft.

The agreement includes technology transfer for integrating indigenous weapons in India. Dassault has agreed to establish a fuselage production facility being developed by Tata Advanced Systems. The facility is planned to produce two fuselages monthly from FY2028 and serve global requirements. Dassault and Safran are also establishing support facilities for airframes and M88 engines.

These arrangements give India more than a carrier aircraft purchase. They place India in the global Rafale supply chain and could support future domestic production. The article says any additional Rafale M aircraft can also be expected to be Made in India, strengthening the common industrial base.

India evaluated the Rafale M and Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet to complement and replace the MiG-29K/KUB fighters used by its two carriers. Both aircraft underwent extensive trials at the Shore Based Test Facility in 2022. The Rafale M was selected for the Navy's reduced requirement of 26 aircraft.

The MiG-29K/KUB remains the carrier fighter currently used by INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya. TEDBF, or Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter, was intended as an indigenous future carrier fighter, but its development proposal has not progressed. LCA Navy prototypes have already completed multiple carrier trials.

The Navy's earlier stated requirement was 57 fighters, later cut to 26. Sections within the Navy and others have sought LCA Navy induction because it could suit training for carrier-borne fighters. If TEDBF remains delayed, the article says further Rafale Marine purchases cannot be ruled out.

Aircraft carriers launch fighters from a flight deck using systems that give them enough speed to become airborne within limited space. They recover by approaching the deck and catching arresting equipment or using other carrier-specific methods. These operations demand precise coordination between pilots, deck crews, and ship systems.

After landing, aircraft are moved around the deck and into hangars using elevators. They are refuelled, rearmed, inspected, repaired, and prepared for another mission. The article gives a Rafale M example: its wings do not fold and are wider than INS Vikrant's elevators, so the ship needs elevator changes and specialised systems.

Carrier fighters differ from land-based fighters because they must withstand repeated deck launches and recoveries while fitting into limited shipboard space. The Rafale M illustrates the trade-off clearly. India is also considering carrier-specific support and training arrangements as it prepares to operate the aircraft from Vikrant and Vikramaditya.