#Rafale takes off!@MEAIndia @JawedAshraf5 @IAF_MCC @SpokespersonMoD @rajnathsingh @PMOIndia @harshvshringla @narendramodi @DDNewslive @PIB_India pic.twitter.com/BIvd1RKkgu
— India in France (@Indian_Embassy) April 21, 2021
@IAF_MCC chief on an official tour to 🇫🇷 visited the Rafale training center & spoke on the occasion of the completion of all Rafale training in 🇫🇷 & flight of another batch of Rafale fighters to 🇮🇳@JawedAshraf5 @PMOIndia@DrSJaishankar @DDNewslive @MEAIndia @rajnathsingh pic.twitter.com/WQYzxthYzp
— India in France (@Indian_Embassy) April 21, 2021
India’s Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria has successfully flagged off four Rafale fighter jets for India from a military airbase in France on Wednesday.
On his visit to France which will also boost ties between both the countries, the third day of, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria visited a Rafale aircraft training facility. He also thanked the French aerospace industry for ensuring the jets were delivered on time.
“On an official visit to France, Air Chief Mshl RKS Bhadauria praised pilots and met the next batch of Rafales on a non-stop flight to India with mid-air refueling by the French Air Force and the UAE.
“Thank you France, particularly FASF and French industry, for timely delivery and on-time pilot training despite COVID,” the Indian embassy in France tweeted.
The Indian embassy did not specify the number of aircraft flagged off by the IAF Chief, but sources close to the event said four jets were part of the new batch that took off from France’s Merignac airbase.
In his brief remarks, the IAF Chief stated that some Rafale aircraft were delivered “a little bit” ahead of schedule, contributing to the Indian Air Force’s overall combat capability (IAF).
Military officials in Delhi stated that his visit to France is expected to strengthen cooperation between the IAF and the French Air and Space Force (FASF).
“This ferry, the fifth from here, represents the end of the third batch of our pilots and all of our maintenance crew. “We were able to operationalize the aircraft quickly because of the level and quality of training provided by the Rafale training center,” he said.
He also expressed gratitude to the French government and the French Air Force for providing the necessary support for the training program as well as ferrying the aircraft to India.
With the arrival of the new batch of aircraft, the IAF will be able to raise a second squadron of Rafale jets. The new squadron will be based at West Bengal’s Hasimara air base. Ambala air force station is home to the first Rafale squadron. A squadron consists of approximately 18 aircraft.
In September 2016, India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to purchase 36 Rafale fighter jets for approximately Rs 58,000 crore.
The IAF currently operates 14 Rafale jets, with the number increasing to 18 with the arrival of the new batch.
On Tuesday, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria met with Gen Philippe Lavigne, Chief of Staff of the French Air and Space Force (FASF), to discuss ways to expand bilateral cooperation.
