India on Thursday formally inducted five Rafale fighter jets into the 17th Squadron at Ambala Air Station along the western border. The Squadron is known as the "Golden Arrows" and is the first Indian Air Force squadron to be equipped with the Rafales.
#RafaleInduction
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) September 10, 2020
IAF will formally induct the Rafale aircraft in the 17 Squadron 'Golden Arrows' today at Air Force Station, Ambala.
New bird in the arsenal of IAF. pic.twitter.com/cd6k54KJJ0
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly were joined by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria and Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar at the induction ceremony.
#RafaleInduction :Rafale,flying by two Jaguar Aircrafts and two Su-30 MKI, at a speed of 720KMPH in arrow head formation symbolising Golden Arrows:#Rafale pic.twitter.com/hCOCTq5nVv
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) September 10, 2020
Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh and the French Minister for the Armed Forces, Ms @florence_parly unveiling Rafale at Ambala Air Force Station. pic.twitter.com/I5926bLqXG
— रक्षा मंत्री कार्यालय/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) September 10, 2020
The induction ceremony included the unveiling of the Rafale aircraft and a traditional Sarva Dharma Puja (inter-faith prayer) followed by an air display by Rafale and Tejas aircraft as well as by the Sarang Aerobatic Team. Sarang is the helicopter air display team of the Indian Air Force and they fly four modified HAL Dhruv helicopters.
#WATCH Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of the Armed Forces of France Florence Parly, witness the traditional 'Sarva Dharma Puja' at the Rafale induction ceremony, at Ambala airbase pic.twitter.com/0z74ECflJd
— ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2020
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of the Armed Forces of France Florence Parly, witness the traditional 'Sarva Dharma Puja' at the Rafale induction ceremony, at Ambala airbase pic.twitter.com/qJOSJGetQl
— ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2020
Haryana: Water cannon salute given to the five Rafale fighter aircraft at Ambala airbase pic.twitter.com/EeOO3rSbNf
— ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2020
Raksha Mantri addressing the gathering at the Rafale Induction Ceremony in Ambala pic.twitter.com/CNDYki1iCq
— रक्षा मंत्री कार्यालय/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) September 10, 2020
The new birds in the Indian Air Force arsenal reached India from France on July 29 and have been involved in extensive training exercises, mainly in the mountainous terrain in Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh.
The fighter jets, acquired in a government-to-government deal in 2016 at a cost of $8.7 billion, fill the gap for long-range weapons and sensors in the Indian Air Force. Out of the 36 Rafales specified in the deal, India has only received the first batch, and the second batch of four jets is likely to be delivered by October.
The Rafale jets add strategic depth and strength to India’s air combat capabilities with their multi-role capacities, including electronic warfare, air defence, ground support, and in-depth strikes.
India’s induction of French jets comes in the wake of a border stand-off with China along the 4,057 km Line of Actual Control.
