The Indian Air Force (IAF) announced on Thursday that it had received the final batch of the 36 Rafale jets it purchased from French aviation giant Dassault.
The batch, which included only one jet, was fuelled through air-to-air transfer to reduce the journey time by an Air Force tanker belonging to the United Arab Emirates.
“Feet dry! The Pack is Complete,” the IAF declared in a Tweet.
FEET DRY!
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) December 15, 2022
'The Pack is Complete'
The last of the 36 IAF Rafales landed in India after a quick enroute sip from a UAE Air Force tanker.
Shukran jazeelan. @modgovae pic.twitter.com/5rkMikXQeS
French Ambassador to India Emmanuel Lenain welcomed the delivery, saying he is “proud to see all 36 Rafales on India’s soil and fully equipped with India-specific enhancements.”
India placed the order for the jets in 2016. Thirty-five of the 36 jets had already been delivered and are stationed at Ambala, Haryana and Hasimara, West Bengal. The total package is estimated to have cost India around $7.1 billion.
The first batch of five fighter jets arrived at the Air Force Station in Ambala in July 2020. New Delhi said at the time that they would be part of the No. 17 Squadron, aka the “Golden Arrows,” of the IAF’s Western Command.
READY FOR ACTION!
— A. Bharat Bhushan Babu (@SpokespersonMoD) December 15, 2022
The last of the 36 @IAF_MCC #Rafales landed in India after a en-route mid-air refuelling support from a UAE Air Force tanker aircraft.@rajnathsingh @PIB_India @indiannavy @IAF_MCC @AjaybhattBJP4UK
In February, India received three of the last four fighter planes, which were fully equipped with India-specific requirements, including helmet-mounted sight, radar warning receivers, flight data recorders with 10-hour storage, infra-red search and track systems, and towed decoys to dodge incoming missiles and missile approach warning systems.
Flying in from France on a 7,000-kilometre journey, the Rafale aircraft are considered to be some of the finest jets in the world, described as ‘omnirole’ planes that can undertake several missions in a single flight, including air defence and superiority, reconnaissance, ground and sea attack, and nuclear strike deterrence.
The 4.5-generation fighter jet, whose parts are manufactured in Nagpur, was procured after lengthy scrutiny by the IAF, after it was proved to outperform SAAB Gripen, MiG 35, Typhoon, and the F-16, among others. The French-made jets are also capable of carrying a range of weapons and electronic warfare.
Correction | IAF chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari flew in IAF Rafale*, during the 'Garuda' bilateral exercise in Jodhpur today
— ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2022
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said back in 2020 that the deal was “a game changer for India’s national security” and that “its induction is a strong message for the world and especially for those who challenge India’s sovereignty.”
Having received the complete shipment, New Delhi carried out a major drill covering the country’s Northeastern region on Thursday. The large-scale two-day exercise involves almost all of New Delhi’s frontline fighter jets and other regional assets, including the Russian-made Sukhoi-30MKI aircraft under the IAF’s Eastern Air Command.
It came against the backdrop of a fresh spike in violence between China and India at their shared disputed border, along the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang sector.
🔴36th #Rafale aircraft of #IndianAirForce has arrived in India. The 36th (last) aircraft was used for developing & testing 13 India-specific enhancements for the Rafale fleet of the Indian Air Force. pic.twitter.com/eAnWiiNYB3
— IDU (@defencealerts) December 15, 2022
However, an IAF official dismissed the co-relation, saying that the exercise had been planned well in advance and had nothing to do with the recent clashes in Tawang.
In response to India’s deal with France, its neighbour Pakistan also signed a deal to acquire 36 10-C semi-stealth jets from China last year. The J-10C is a single-engine multi-role fighter jet that can operate in all weather conditions. It was built for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force to facilitate strike missions and air-to-air warfare.
In this regard, the completion of the Rafale package comes at a welcome time for India, given that the IAF’s squadron’s trength has dropped below the sanctioned limit of 42, a concern that the Indian Parliament’s Standing Committee on Defence has said must be addressed immediately. The fighter jet fleet has fallen below 30 and is expected to diminish even further, with the Jaguar jets set to be phased out soon. Meanwhile, India’s S-30 MKI has serviceability issues, while its indigenous Tejas LCA does not have the same capabilities as its imported alternatives.
Last December, France mentioned that it is “open and ready” to provide India with even more Rafale jets.