The first five of 36 Dassault Rafale multi-role fighters of the Indian Air Force (IAF) bought from France will arrive Wednesday at the Ambala Air Force Station in northern India after a long-distance flight lasting almost two days.
Located in Haryana some 200 km from the Pakistani and Chinese borders, Ambala Air Force Station will be home to the first squadron (16 aircraft) of Dassault Rafales. IAF will deploy the other Rafale squadron to the Hasimara Air Force Station in Alipurduar district, West Bengal. Hasimara is strategically located near the Indo-Bhutan border facing China.
India signed a deal with France to buy 36 Rafale fighters in September 2016. The Rafales can carry nuclear weapons in addition to conventional air-to-air and air-to-ground ordnance.
The first aircraft was delivered in October 2019. Training of pilots and mechanics has taken place since then. All the warplanes should be delivered by 2022.
"Our air force pilots tell us that these are extremely swift, nimble, versatile, and very deadly aircraft," said Jawed Ashraf, India's ambassador to France.
"This is going to add a great deal of strength to our airpower and defense preparedness but it is also a powerful symbol of our strategic partnership between France and India."
The five Rafales piloted by IAF officers took off from Merignac in southwest France on Monday. With them on the 7,000 kilometer-long flight are two A330 Phenix MRTT refueling planes of the French Air Force. One of these planes is carrying 70 ventilators, 100,000 test kits, and a team of 10 French health experts that will support India in its fight against COVID-19, said the Ministry of the Armed Forces (Ministère des Armées).
The Rafales will refuel midair several times along the route and will make a stopover at the Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates where the French Air Force has a presence.
Both IAF Rafale squadrons will have an immediate and dramatic effect on the balance of power on the Indian subcontinent. The Rafales give India a weapon capable of taking on Pakistan's U.S.-made General Dynamics F-16 air superiority fighters and the PAC JF-17 Thunder multi-role fighters produced jointly by Pakistan and China.
IAF hopes the Rafales can help address the military imbalance against China in its favor. Despite the acquisition of the French fighters, the IAF said it still needs more modern combat aircraft.
"I am strongly impressed by the amazing efficiency and determination of the Indian Air Force and Indian Ministry of Defense," said Eric Trappier, CEO of Dassault Aviation.
He said that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, they had managed to "master rapidly all aspects of the Rafale for comforting Indian sovereignty and contributing to the protection and security of Indian people." IAF has said once the Rafales arrive in India, "efforts will focus on operationalization of the aircraft."
