Four more Rafale fighter jets to be flown to India next week
- The addition of the new aircraft will pave the way for India to resurrect the 101 “Falcons of Chamb” squadron at Hashimara in West Bengal
Four more French-built Rafale jets are expected to be flown in from the Merignac-Bordeaux airbase in France to India next week, which paves the way for India to resurrect the 101 “Falcons of Chamb” squadron at Hashimara in West Bengal.
At the end of May, the Indian Air Force is expected to have 24 Rafale fighter jets, with another 12 more to be handed over before the two squadrons are complete.
The Hashimara base in West Bengal is readying for the arrival of the four Rafales with repaved and extended runways, maintenance areas and personnel accommodation, according to news reports.
The first Rafale squadron is based at the Ambala air force station. A squadron comprises around 18 aircraft. India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France in September 2016 for the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets at a cost of around ₹58,000 crore. The first batch of five Rafale jets arrived in India in July last year.
Former Indian Air Force chief Birender Singh Dhanoa had described the Rafale as a “game changer” given that none of India’s adversaries has an aircraft package to match the Rafale.
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First Published:15 May 2021, 12:52 PM IST
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