Indian air force to buy 126 Rafale fighter jets

A Dassault Rafale fighter jet takes part in a flying display during the 49th Paris Air Show at the Le Bourget airport near Paris in this June 21, 2011 file photo.[Photo/Agencies]

NEW DELHI - A top Indian government official says India has decided to buy 126 French-made Rafale combat aircraft for the Indian air force.

The official says the French aviation company Dassault snapped up the $11 billion deal after emerging with the lowest bid in a two-way race against the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft.

The official was speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters about the sensitive defense deal.

Planes from Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin of the United States and from Russian and Swedish makers already had been dropped from consideration earlier for technical reasons.