Rafale aircraft formally inducted into Indian Air Force

New Delhi, Sep 10: Rafale Fighter Air craft was formally inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) today at a formal function at Air Force Station, Ambala. Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh and Florence Parly, Minister of the Armed Forces of France graced the occasion.

Raksha Mantri defined induction of Rafale as a historic moment and a very important milestone in the history of the IAF.

He said, the Rafale deal was a game changer for India’s national security and its induction is a strong message for the world and especially for those who challenge India’s sovereignty.  Rajnath Singh reiterated the resolve of not compromising India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity under any circumstances and the country’s determination to make all possible preparations for it.

Talking about the priorities of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Singh said national security has been a major priority of the Prime Minister, and it is the result of his vision that we are seeing today despite many obstacles that came in the way.

“We have cooperated closely in a number of areas to enhance our defence cooperation. As part of the transfer of technology agreement, 6 Scorpene submarines are being built at the Mazagaon Docks. On the basis of this partnership, the first submarine, INS Kalvari was commissioned in 2017,” he said.

Raksha Mantri congratulated the IAF personnel for the swift and decisive action taken by them near LAC recently. He said the rapid deployment of IAF assets at forward bases created a trust that our Air Force was fully prepared to meet its operational obligations. Singh also lauded the contribution of IAF to the country’s efforts during Covid-19 pandemic.

Florence Parly Minister of the Armed Forces of France in her address said today’s induction of Rafale into the IAF is a symbol of strong ties between the two countries which is rock solid and time tested.

She said now, in military terms, India will acquire a world class capability that will give New Delhi an incredible sovereignty and in strategic terms it will give India an edge over the entire region to defend itself.

She also assured timely delivery of the 31 remaining aircrafts. Florence Parly also said France is fully committed to the Make in India initiative which has been a reality for French industry for several years particularly in defence sector like in submarines.