NEW DELHI: Five Rafale jets, which took off from France today, will arrive in India on Wednesday, Indian media reports have said.
The first batch of five jets will officially be inducted and will join the Indian Air Force fleet at the Ambala air base in Haryana, reports said.
According to reports, the Rafale aircraft will cover a distance of around 7,000 kms from France to India. They will have an air-to-air refueling and a single stop en route in the UAE.
The Indian Embassy in Paris labeled the event a “new milestone” in strong and growing India-France defense cooperation.
The embassy has also released a video titled “Beauty and the Beast”, showcasing Rafale jets ready for take-off, reports said.
India had ordered as many as 36 Rafale jets from France in a deal worth IRs 59,000 crore in September 2016.
The delivery of all the aircraft will be completed by the end of 2021, according to the Indian mission in France.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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