Rafale fighter aircraft will be inducted into Indian Air Force (IAF) on September 10.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will formally induct the five Rafale fighter aircraft into the Indian Air Force (IAF) on September 10 at Haryana’s Ambala air base in a ceremony for which French Defence Minister Florence Parly would also be invited.
Defence sources told ANI that the induction ceremony would be held after the return of the Defence Minister from Russia where he is scheduled to attend the meeting of the Defence Ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation nations from September 4 to 6.
“The Rafale aircraft induction ceremony would be held on September 10 with the Defence Minister as the Chief Guest. The French Defence Minister is also being sent an invite to attend the event to mark the strategic friendship between India and France,” the sources said.
Five Rafale fighter aircraft arrived in India from France on July 29.
The French-origin fighter aircrafts are part of the 17 Golden Arrows squadron of the Air Force.
The five Rafales which have arrived in the country include three single-seaters and two twin-seaters.
India has contracted for 36 Rafales under the largest-ever defence deal signed by the country worth over Rs 60,000 crore of which the majority payments have already been made to the French firm Dassault Aviation.
