New Delhi – India signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement in 2016 with theFrench government and Dassault Aviation of France for the acquisition of 36multirole fighter aircraft in fly-away condition at the cost of over 7.8billion euros. Rafales are capable of carrying a range of potent weaponsand missiles.
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will travel to France on 8 October toreceive the first aircraft.
Dassault will refit the jet with various India-specific modificationsincluding Israeli helmet-mounted displays, radar warning receivers, lowband jammers, infra-red search and tracking systems among others.
The aircraft will be officially inductedlinkintothe Indian Air Force on 8 October, but it will arrive in India in May 2020after being refitted and following the training of Indian pilots andengineers.
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Rafale fighter jetslinkwillbe deployed to Ambala airbase in Haryana on the western front and Hashimaraairbase in West Bengal on the eastern front.
The 7.8 billion-euro Rafale deal for the acquisition of 36 multirolefighter aircraft was signed in 2016 between the Indian and Frenchgovernments and Dassault Aviation of France.
