RAFALE INDUCTION — A STERN MESSAGE TO CHINA

The induction programme included ceremonial unveiling of the Rafale aircraft, a traditional sarva dharma puja, an air display by Rafale, Jaguar and Tejas aircraft as well as by the Sarang aerobatic team

- AYUSHEE CHAUDHARY

FIVE FRENCH-MADE MULTIROLE RAFALE JETS THAT HAD arrived in India on July 29, 2020, were inducted into the Indian Air Force’s “Golden Arrows” Squadron at the Ambala Air Force Station on Thursday. The induction ceremony was conducted on September 10, 2020 at the country’s oldest Air Force base built in 1919 and was graced by the Defence Minister of India Rajnath Singh, accompanied by Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria. The Chief Guest for the ceremony was France’s Minister of Armed Forces, Florence Parly.

The Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO, Dr G. Satheesh Reddy, former Air Force Chief B.S. Dhanoa along with other senior officers of Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Armed Forces were present to mark this important milestone in the history of the Indian Air Force (IAF). The French delegation was represented by Emmanuel Lenain, Ambassador of France to India, Air General Eric Autellet, Vice Chief of the Air Staff of the French Air Force and other senior officials. A large delegation of senior functionaries of French Defence Industries which included Eric Trappier, Chairman and Chief Executive of Dassault Aviation and Eric Beranger, CEO, MBDA were also present during the ceremony.

Prior to the ceremony, IAF had tweeted, “New bird in the arsenal of IAF”, indicating that it would formally be inducting the Rafale aircraft in the 17 Squadron ‘Golden Arrows’ at Air Force Station, Ambala.

The programme started with the ceremonial unveiling of the Rafale aircraft followed by a traditional ‘Sarva Dharma Puja’.