The agreement includes a €200 million contract destined for buying equipment and munitions package for the jets.

The spokesman said the agreement would be financed through a loan to be re-paid over at least 10 years, but did not disclose the value of the deal or further details.

The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation.

Equipped with a wide range of weapons, the Rafale is intended to perform air supremacy, interdiction, aerial reconnaissance, ground support, in-depth strike, anti-ship strike, and nuclear deterrence missions.

The Rafale is referred to as an "omnirole" aircraft by Dassault.