SOURCE: Times Now Digital
As Indian armed forces are engaged in a bitter border standoff with China in eastern Ladakh, India is all set to receive three more Rafale fighter jets on November 5. The first lot of Rafale combat aircraft built by French company Dassault Aviation was received by India on July 29 and were inducted to the 17 Squadron of the Indian Air Force (IAF) at the Ambala Air Base on September 10.
India has signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 rafale jets aircraft at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore.
The 4.5 generation aircraft are equipped with HAMMER missiles and will also be armed with beyond visual range missiles like Meteor, SCALP and MICA by the IAF.
After the five Rafale jets were inducted, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced that the induction of omni-role aircraft “is a big and stern message for the entire world, especially to those eyeing our sovereignty”.
In a stern message to China, Singh had said, “This induction is important considering the kind of atmosphere at our borders or the kind of atmosphere created at our borders.”
India is expected to receive three more Rafales in January, another three in March and seven more in April.
