Explorer

Rajnath Singh To Formally Induct Rafale Jets Into IAF On Sept 10, French Defence Minister Invited

Rafale fighter jets to formally become the part of the Indian Air Force on September 10. French Defence Minister Florence Parly has been invited for the event.

New Delhi: The Indian Air Force will be stronger than ever as the much-awaited Rafale fighter aircraft that arrived in India last month, will now officially be inducted into the IAF by the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the Ambala airbase in Haryana in a ceremony on September 10. Also Read|Govt Allows In-Flight Meals; 'No-Fly' List For Those Without Masks | Check Latest Air Travel Rules The Defence Ministry has confirmed that India has also invited Singh’s French counterpart, Florence Parly, to attend the ceremony. Invitation to the French Defence Minister marks the strategic friendship between the two countries. Defence sources told ANI that the induction ceremony would be held after the return of the Defence Minister from Russia where he is scheduled to attend the meeting of the Defence Ministers of the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation from September 4 to 6.
 "The Rafale aircraft induction ceremony would be held on September 10 with the Defence Minister as the Chief Guest. The French Defence Minister is also being sent an invite to attend the event to mark the strategic friendship between India and France," the sources said.
Five Rafale fighters of the 36 ordered arrived at the airbase on July 29, ending IAF’s wait for new fighter jets to sharpen its combat potential. IAF chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria and other senior air force officers were present when the jets arrived, but a formal induction ceremony was reserved for another day. The arrival of the jets coincided with the ongoing India-China border tensions in Ladakh. The new fighters are the first imported jets to be inducted into the IAF in 23 years after the Russian Sukhoi-30 jets entered service in June 1997. The Rafale Controversy The French-origin fighter aircraft Rafale are part of the 17 Golden Arrows squadron of the Air Force. The jets that landed in Ambala on July 29 are the first batch of 36 that India had inked a Rs 58,000 crore deal with France to acquire as far back as 2016. The Rafales armed with the air-to-air Meteor, air to ground SCALP, and Hammer missiles are 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. However, the opposition parties have been targeting the Narendra Modi govt accusing it of non-transparency in the multi-billion dollar deal and called it "one of the biggest failures" of the 'Make-in-India' programme. “Congratulations to IAF for Rafale. Meanwhile, can the Government of India (GOI) answer: Why each aircraft costs Rs 1670 Crores instead of Rs 526 Crores? Why 36 aircraft were bought instead of 126? Why was bankrupt Anil (Ambani’s firm) given a Rs 30,000 Crores contract instead of HAL,” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had tweeted last month.
View More
Advertisement

IPL Auction 2025

Most Expensive Players In The Squad
Virat Kohli
₹21 CR
Josh Hazlewood
₹12.50 CR
Phil Salt
₹11.50 CR
View all
Most Expensive Players In The Squad
Rishabh Pant
₹27 CR
Nicholas Pooran
₹21 CR
Ravi Bishnoi
₹11 CR
View all
Most Expensive Players In The Squad
Jasprit Bumrah
₹18 CR
Suryakumar Yadav
₹16.35 CR
Hardik Pandya
₹16.35 CR
View all
Most Expensive Players In The Squad
Heinrich Klaasen
₹23 CR
Pat Cummins
₹18 CR
Abhishek Sharma
₹14 CR
View all
Most Expensive Players In The Squad
Ruturaj Gaikwad
₹18 CR
Ravindra Jadeja
₹18 CR
Matheesha Pathirana
₹13 CR
View all
Most Expensive Players In The Squad
Shreyas Iyer
₹26.75 CR
Arshdeep Singh
₹18 CR
Yuzvendra Chahal
₹18 CR
View all
Most Expensive Players In The Squad
Sanju Samson
₹18 CR
Yashaswi Jaiswal
₹18 CR
Riyan Parag
₹14 CR
View all
Most Expensive Players In The Squad
Venkatesh Iyer
₹23.75 CR
Rinku Singh
₹13 CR
Varun Chakaravarthy
₹12 CR
View all
Most Expensive Players In The Squad
Rashid Khan
₹18 CR
Shubman Gill
₹16.50 CR
Jos Buttler
₹15.75 CR
View all
Most Expensive Players In The Squad
Axar Patel
₹16.50 CR
KL Rahul
₹14 CR
Kuldeep Yadav
₹13.25 CR
View all
Advertisement
25°C
New Delhi
Rain: 100mm
Humidity: 97%
Wind: WNW 47km/h
See Today's Weather
powered by
Accu Weather
Advertisement

Top Headlines

‘Tried To Be Within Maryaada, Didn’t Do Any Encroachment’: PM Modi Quips At Supreme Court Constitution Day Event
‘Tried To Be Within Maryaada, Didn’t Do Any Encroachment’: PM Modi Quips At Constitution Day Event
Shiv Sena Leaders Met Ajit Pawar's NCP Faction To Seek Support For Eknath Shinde For CM's Chair
Shiv Sena Leaders Met Ajit Pawar's NCP Faction To Seek Support For Eknath Shinde For CM's Chair
'EVMs Tampered When They Lose Not When They Win': SC On Politicians Questioning EVMs
'EVMs Tampered When They Lose Not When They Win': SC On Politicians Questioning EVMs
'No Solution To Ukraine War From Battlefield': EAM Jaishankar Reiterates India's Call For Diplomacy
'No Solution To Ukraine War From Battlefield': EAM Jaishankar Reiterates India's Call For Diplomacy
Advertisement
ABP Premium

Videos

FIR Filed Against Sambhal MP Ziaur Rahman, Statement Released Amidst ControversyFIR Filed Against Sambhal MP Ziaur Rahman and Local MLA's Son in Controversial CaseSambhal Violence Sparks Political Firestorm, Congress MP Imran Masood's Strong Remarks | ABP NewsBreaking News: SP Leader Ram Gopal Yadav Reacts to Sambhal Violence | ABP News

Photo Gallery

Embed widget