A Rafale Marine fighter aircraft has successfully completed its maiden landing on India's indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, touching down on its first attempt on 29 October 2026. The Indian Navy confirmed the milestone on 30 October, describing the ongoing trials as the first steps towards operationalising the aircraft in naval service.

In its official statement, the Navy said: "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 Navy also released video footage of the event.

The landing followed shore-based trials at INS Hansa in Goa. INS Vikrant uses a short take-off but arrested recovery system, with a ski-jump ramp and arrester wires — unlike the catapult system on France's carrier Charles de Gaulle.

A long road to the carrier deck

The landing is tied to a major defence deal signed by India and France on 28 April 2025, under which India will buy 26 Rafale Marine aircraft — 22 single-seat fighters and four twin-seat trainers — for approximately Rs 63,000 crore. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2028 and continue into the early 2030s, with the jets set to replace the Navy's ageing MiG-29K fleet.

INS Vikrant, commissioned on 2 September 2022, is India's first indigenously built aircraft carrier. The Rafale Marine is only the third fixed-wing type to land on it, after a MiG-29K and the naval Tejas in February 2023 — practical proof that the Navy's next carrier fighter can operate from its flagship.