India Set To Receive 16 More Rafale Fighter Jets By April 2021, Three Arriving On November 5

The first five of the thirty-six best-in-class Rafale fighter jets had arrived in India on July 29 and were formally inducted as part of the 17 Squadron of the Indian Air Force at the Ambala Air Base in Haryana on September 10.

Image: AFP

Two months after successful induction of first batch of five Rafale fighter jets at its airbase in Ambala, India is all set to receive 16 more multirole combat planes by April 2021, with three arriving on November 5. India has signed an agreement with French Government to procure 36 Rafale combat aircraft built by French company Dassault Aviation at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore. The first five of the thirty-six best-in-class Rafale fighter jets which flew out from the Dassault Aviation's Merignac facility base in French port city of Bordeaux, had arrived in India on July 29 and were formally inducted as part of the 17 Squadron, also known as 'Golden Arrows' of the Indian Air Force at the Ambala Air Base in Haryana on September 10. According to the reports, now three more are set to flew and arrive in India by November 5, followed by three more in January, another three in March and seven in April. By April 2021, India will have a total of 21 Rafale jets. The Rafale jets are armed with the air-to-air Meteor, air to ground SCALP, and Hammer missiles. These omni-role aircraft are capable of interdiction, ground support, aerial reconnaissance, in-depth aerial strikes, anti-ship strikes and even carrying out nuclear attacks (if the military conflict escalates to a nuclear conflict). At the time when India is locked into border disputes with its neighbours, the Rafale aircraft be a game changer in the current scenario. The French fleet is expected to give an edge to the Indian Air Force over its traditional adversaries China and Pakistan in the South Asian skies due to its long-range hit capabilities.