Three more Rafale fighter jets have flown to India from France

Three more Rafale fighter jets have flown to India from the Marignac-Bordeaux airbase in France on Wednesday and are on their way.

All three new aircraft are scheduled to land at the Jamnagar airbase after Wednesday evening.

The three fighter jets would then fly to Ambala before re-landing at the Hashimara Airbase in North Bengal.

The aircraft will be refueling on the way to the Middle East skies using Airbus 330 multi-role transport tankers by the United Arab Emirates, India's strategic partner.

With three more fighters joining the Indian Air Force (IAF), the total number of Rafale fighter jets in Ambala will reach 20, while France is expected to add four more fighter aircraft within a fortnight.

The process of Rafale jet joining has become tedious during the Coronavirus pandemic with Indian Air Force pilots who have to pass through Quarantine in France before flying back to India. The IAF is currently using seven Rafales to train pilots in France.

While the Golden Arrow Squadron at Ambala has 18 combat aircraft with state-of-the-art weapons and missiles, the remaining aircraft, perhaps six, will form the second squadron at Hashimara Airbase. The Hashimara Airbase at the mouth of the Siliguri Corridor covers the entire eastern region against the Chinese Air Force.

While French manufacturer Dassau Aviation will deliver all 36 Rafale by the middle of the year. The Indian Air Force is in a state of readiness as the disengagement and de-escalation process with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in East Ladakh is still not complete.

The Chinese Army is not ready to restore the status quo in the Gogra-Hot Springs area along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh. This is a matter of serious military concern, as the deployment of the Indian Army in the region remains and is monitoring the activities of the Chinese Army.