Three Rafale jets take to the skies for flight to India; to be fuelled mid-air in UAE

India is all set to receive the fourth batch of Rafale fighter jets from France on Wednesday, which will join the Golden Arrows Squadron in Ambala. The three combat aircraft took off from France early in the day and will be provided mid-air refuelling by the UAE Airbus 330 multi-role transport tankers over the Gulf of Oman.

The aircraft departed from Merignac airbase in France’s Bordeaux and are most likely to reach Gujarat around 7 pm. With the arrival of the new batch, the strength of the Rafale aircraft in the Indian Air Force will rise to 14. The latest addition is the part of the pact signed by India and France last year after the Indian Air Force had operationalised the aircraft in the shortest possible time between July-August.

India is expecting another batch of nine Rafale fighter jets in mid-April, out of which, five will be inducted in West Bengal’s Hashimara airbase. More Rafale jets from France are expected to arrive in the months to come. The Rafale jets in India have been deployed for patrolling the China front in East Ladakh along with other fronts when tension erupted between India and China. 

India-France ink deal over Rafale jets

In September 2016, India had ordered 36 Rafale fighter jets from France and by April end, over 50% of these aircraft would have arrived in the country. The IAF in the next 15-20 years is also set to get seven squadrons of indigenously developed stealth fighters Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, while orders will be placed for 114 multirole fighter aircraft that will enhance the overall capability of the IAF.

The second set of Rafale jets arrived in India in November 2020 after the planes were formally indicted. These aircrafts carrying the long-range Meteor air-to-air missiles have boosted the Indian fleet over their Chinese and Pakistani rivals. Moreover, the aircraft equipped with Hammer missiles have enhanced their capability to carry out air-to-ground strikes like the one in Balakot.