France to sell Mirage jets to India, Le Monde says

France signed a deal with India for the sale of an undisclosed quantity of Mirage 2000 fighter-bombers, the latest French combat jet, the independent daily Le Monde said. The fighters will be delivered beginning in 1984, it said, and will be equipped with air-to-air missiles as well as sophisticated radar systems.

Le Monde said the deal would be announced in the Indian Parliament today (April 15). A spokesman for the French aircraft manufacturer Dassault said the company was unaware that any contract has been signed so far with India, but he would not confirm or deny that agreement in principle has been reached.