India has received its first batch of Rafale fighter jets today afternoon at Ambala Airbase
In a major development, India received the first batch of 5 Rafale fighter jets today afternoon, i.e., Wednesday, July 29, 2020 at the Ambala Airbase.
The Rafale jets will be officially inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) as part of its No. 17 Squadron, also known as the “Golden Arrows”. A formal induction ceremony, however, will be held around mid-August which is expected to be attended by Defence Minister of India – Rajnath Singh and other senior military officials.
The Rafale are likely to be deployed in the Ladakh sector as part of IAF’s efforts to enhance its operational capabilities along Line of Actual Control (LAC). The second squadron of Rafale will be stationed at Hasimara base in West Bengal.
Welcoming the Rafale, the Prime Minister of India – Narendra Modi tweeted in Sanskrit,
राष्ट्ररक्षासमं पुण्यं,
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 29, 2020
राष्ट्ररक्षासमं व्रतम्,
राष्ट्ररक्षासमं यज्ञो,
दृष्टो नैव च नैव च।।
नभः स्पृशं दीप्तम्…
स्वागतम्! #RafaleInIndia pic.twitter.com/lSrNoJYqZO
(In English – There is no bigger virtue than securing the nation; there is no bigger fast than securing the nation; there is no bigger work than securing the nation).
Announcing the arrival of Rafale, the Defence Minister of India – Rajnath Singh tweeted,
The Birds have landed safely in Ambala.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) July 29, 2020
The touch down of Rafale combat aircrafts in India marks the beginning of a new era in our Military History.
These multirole aircrafts will revolutionise the capabilities of the @IAF_MCC.
WATCH THE VIDEO OF RAFALE TOUCHDOWN HERE
Welcoming the Rafale, Rajnath Singh tweeted,
I congratulate the IAF on a professionally executed ferry. I am sure that 17 Squadron, the Golden Arrows, will continue to live upto their motto of "Udayam Ajasram". I am extremely happy that IAF’s combat capability has got a timely boost.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) July 29, 2020
Thanking the French Government, Rajnath Singh tweeted,
I also thank the French Government, Dassault Aviation and other French companies for ensuring the timely delivery of the aircraft and its weapons, despite the severe restrictions posed by COVID pandemic.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) July 29, 2020
Rajnath Singh also clarified that only those who want to threaten our territorial integrity must be worried about this latest addition into the IAF.
The Rafale jets will increase the combat capabilities of IAF, especially in the wake of increased threats from Pakistan, who is known to promote terror in the region. For the records, tensions between India and Pakistan have increased after the terror group Jaish-E-Mohammad (JeM) carried out a heinous attack in Pulwama in February 2019, killing more than 40 Indian Central Police Reserve Forces (CRPF) personnel. This was followed by IAF carrying out a surgical strike in Balakot where it completely destroyed the camp of JeM.
Most recently, tension between India and Pakistan’s old friend China have been rising since May 5, 2020 when soldiers of both sides clashed on the banks of Pangong Tso, leaving several soldiers of both sides injured. Pangong Tso is an endorheic lake in the Himalayas, situated at a height of about 4,350 mts. It is 134 kms. long and extends from India to the Tibetan Autonomous Region, China.
Later, on the night of June 15, 2020, more than 20 Indian soldiers were martyred in violent clashes that broke-out during the de-escalation process near the Patrolling Point 14 in the Galwan Valley between the Indian soldiers and Chinese troops. The Indian and Chinese troops clashed with rods and stones. Later, the disengagement talks were initiated between India and China to resolve the issue. However, the situation still remains tense.
The procurement of Rafale is an outcome of Inter-Governmental Agreement between India and France, signed in 2016 to supply 36 Rafale jets to IAF under a Rs. 59,000 crores deal. The Aircraft flew out from the Merignac Airbase in French Port City of Bordeaux on Monday, i.e., July 27, 2020 and covered a distance of nearly 7,000 kms with air-to-air refuelling and a stop in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) before arriving at Ambala Airbase today.
The IAF Pilots have been given the training by Rafale manufacturer – Dassault Aviation. The aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. European missile maker MBDA’s Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile and the Scalp cruise missile are the main highlight of the weapons package of the Rafale jets. Meteor is the next generation of BVR Air-To-Air Missile (BVRAAM) designed to revolutionise air-to-air combat. The Meteor comes with a unique rocket-ramjet motor that gives it far more engine power for much longer than any other missile.
The Rafale jets will come with various India-specific modifications, including Israeli helmet-mounted displays, radar warning receivers, low-band jammers, 10-hour flight data recording, infra-red search and tracking systems among others.
