(Image source from: Twitter.com/Indian_Embassy)
France dispatches the first batch of Rafale aircrafts to India:- The first batch of Rafale aircrafts flew out from France today and they will arrive in India on July 29th. They will be officially inducted to join the Indian Air Force through a fleet in Ambala, Haryana. These fighter jets are built by Dassault, a French aviation firm. These Rafale aircraffts took off from the Merignac airbase in Bordeaux that is located in sourthern France. India bought 36 aircrafts and five among them are dispatched which are a part of the Rs 59,000 crore deal that was inked in 2016.
Engineering crew members along with 12 Indian Air Force pilots are well trained to operate the Rafale fighter aircrafts. All these aircrafts will cover a distance of 7000 kms from France to India and will stop in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for air-to-air refueling. "Bon Voyage: Indian Ambassador to #France interacts with the Indian pilots of the Rafale. Congratulates and wishes them a safe flight to India with a single hop" posted the Indian Embassy in France. Some of the pictures too are released. Jawed Ashraf, the Indian Ambassador to France interacted with the Indian pilots who completed their training and left France.
Bon Voyage: Indian Ambassador to #France interacts with the Indian pilots of the Rafale. Congratulates and wishes them a safe flight to India with a single hop. #ResurgentIndia #NewIndia #Rafale@IAF_MCC @MeaIndia @rajnathsingh @Dassault_OnAir @DefenceMinIndia @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/jk3IWD9tYU
— India in France (@Indian_Embassy) July 27, 2020
These Rafale fighter jets can carry highly effective weapons including Meteor air-to-air missile and Scalp cruise missile. The Indian Air Force is ready with all the needed infrastructure for the fighter jets.
