NEW DELHI, Sep 9: In what will be creating a new landmark in the history of the Indian Air Force, the first five Rafale fighter aircrafts will formally be inducted into the IAF at a ceremonial gathering at the Ambala air force station on Thursday.
According to a defence ministry spokesman, the aircrafts will be part of 17 Squadron, the “Golden Arrows”. The first five Indian Air Force Rafale aircraft had at Ambala from France on July 27.
Mrs Florence Parly, Minister of the Armed Forces of France, will be specially arriving to India for participating in the induction ceremony. She will be joined by the defence minister Rajnath Singh. Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar, Secretary Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO, G Satheesh Reddy along with other senior officers of Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces will be present on the occasion.
The French delegation will also include 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 includes Eric Trappier, Chairman and Chief Executive of Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer of Rafale, and Eric Beranger, CEO, MBDA will be present during the ceremony.
Mrs Parly will be given a ceremonial Guard of Honour on arrival at Delhi. At Ambala the program will include ceremonial unveiling of the Rafale aircraft, a traditional ‘Sarva Dharma Puja’, Air Display by Rafale and Tejas aircraft as well as by ‘Sarang Aerobatic Team’. Afterwards, a traditional water cannon salute will be given to the Rafale aircraft. The programme will culminate with the ceremonial induction of Rafale aircraft to 17 Squadron. After the ceremonial events the Indian and French delegation will have a bilateral meeting, the spokesman said.
(Manas Dasgupta)