Singh called it a strong message for the world, especially for those who challenge India’s sovereignty.

On Thursday, the French-made Rafale jets were inducted into IAF’s Squadron No. 17, also known as Golden Arrows, in Ambala, which is home to the first squadron of Rafale fighter jets.

“The induction is a very important step in light of the prevailing security conditions that prevail, or I would say, that have been created along India’s borders,” Singh said in an address to IAF personnel at the Ambala Air Station.

French Minister of Armed Forces Florence Parly and IAF chief Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria also attended the induction ceremony.

Singh said the IAF plays an important role in maintaining military deterrence and their actions will be decisive in any future war. “While the prevailing situation on our boundaries has caught our attention, we should not ignore the threat of cross-border terrorism,” he added.

IAF chief Bhadauria said the Rafale aircraft can rapidly access all areas of interest due to its deployment.

“What we see is a result of decisive action by the government to break the impasse over the MMRCA deal. Today, the Rafale has been operationally inducted. We are good to go,” he added.

Singh congratulated IAF personnel for the swift and decisive action taken by them near the LAC recently. He said the rapid deployment of IAF assets at forward bases created a trust that our Air Force is fully prepared to meet its operational obligations.

The defence minister 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.

“The intentions of military are as strong as it can be,” he said.

Singh said strengthening India’s defence is aimed at achieving international peace and stability, adding it does not want to take any step that can endanger international peace.

“We have the same expectation of our neighbours and other countries of the world.”

Also read: Rafale jets just the latest — Indo-French fighter aircraft love affair dates back to 1953

Rafale has flown in Leh, completed bombing practice

IAF sources told ThePrint the Rafale has completed bombing practice in various test fire ranges across the country and also carried out high-altitude flying in Leh since landing in India on 29 July after a 8,500-km journey from Merignac in France.

“The aircraft has been operationally inducted. The Rafale has test fired the MICA and carried out flying with other fighters in the inventory. The Rafale has also flown in Leh as part of the high altitude flying,” a source said.

On Thursday, the Rafale was given a water cannon welcome as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his French counterpart stood watching.

The defence minister described the Rafale as a “game changer”, which is armed with the Meteor air-to-air missiles besides the long range air-to-surface Scalp missile and the Hammer.

At the ceremony, the fighter carried out aerobatics to show off its flying capabilities. There was also a multi-faith prayer that was conducted for the aircraft that was procured under a Rs 59,000 crore government to government deal in 2016.

Another set of four Rafale fighters jets are expected to land in the country by the end of October.

The mean machine

This is the first foreign induction by the IAF in 23 years into its inventory of seven types of fighters.

Known as a 4.5 generation aircraft, the Rafale is considered to be one of the finest fighters in the world and is described as an ‘omnirole’ aircraft. This means the Rafale can take up several missions on a single flight.

With its avionics, radars and weapon systems, the Rafale is the most potent aircraft in the South Asian region, much ahead of the F-16s that Pakistan uses or even the JF-20, the 5th generation Chinese ‘stealth’ aircraft, which is yet to see combat.

Rafale are combat-proven having flown multiple missions in Afghanistan, Mali, Libya, Iraq and Syria.

Making the IAF Rafale more potent than the others of the same make is the fact that the 36 aircraft to be inducted into the IAF will also have 13 Indian specific enhancements. These will be integrated once the full delivery is done by 2022.

The enhancements include Israeli helmet-mounted display, ability to start in very cold and high altitude areas like Leh, among others.

With the MBDA-made Meteor missile, the jet would be able to shoot down an enemy aircraft, even if over 100 km away, without even crossing the Indian air space. This is the highest range of an air-to-air missile in the region.

The 1,300 kg, 5.1 metre-long Scalp can be carried in either one-missile or two-missiles configuration on the Rafale and has a range of 600 km. The IAF has also opted for the French HAMMER air-to-ground precision-guided weapon system under emergency procurement.

With a range of 3,700 km without mid-air refuelling, Rafale comes with a 10-tonne empty weight. It is fitted with 14 hard points and five of these are capable of drop tanks and heavy ordnance.

The total external load capacity is 9.5 tonnes, which means the Rafale can lift the equivalent of its own empty weight in payloads, which makes it very efficient. With a maximum speed of nearly twice the speed of sound, the landing ground run is 450 metres without drag-chute.

The twin-seater trainer version of the Rafale came with initials ‘RB’ on its tail, standing for the initials of Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Bhadauria, the IAF chief. It was a tribute to Bhadauria for working out the Rafale deal as the force’s deputy chief earlier.

Also read:What would have happened if Abhinandan Varthaman was flying a Rafale, ex-IAF chief asks

Lt Gen B S Raju of XV corps said the terrorists holed up in the Valley have been facing acute shortage of arms and are desperately looking for help from across the border.

Srinagar: A quadcopter used by Pakistani spy agency ISI in Jammu and Kashmir has necessitated alert along the Line of Control (LoC) in the valley as the Army believes it could be used for dropping weapons for terrorists.

Talking to PTI, General-Officer-in-Command of strategically located XV corps in Kashmir Lt Gen B S Raju said after an incident “across Peer Panjal”, a reference to Jammu region in army parlance, “we have alerted all formations to keep a check on any flying object seen along the LoC”.

He said the terrorists holed up in the Kashmir valley have been facing acute shortage of arms and ammunition and they are desperately looking for some help from across the border for the same.

In June, BSF had shot down a Pakistani drone, loaded with a sophisticated rifle and seven grenades, along the International Border in Kathua district of Jammu region.

The Chinese-made drone weighed about 17.5 kgs and had a payload of 5.5 kg including a sophisticated US-made M4 semi-automatic carbine and seven Chinese grenades. Four batteries, a radio signal receiver and two Global Positioning Systems (GPS) were also recovered.

This, according to Gen Raju, is a “new dimension” in decades of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. “Instructions have been passed on to the forward formations to keep an eye on any flying object coming from across the border (LoC) and hit it hard to bring it down,” he said.

As small drones are tough to detect, an extra vigil using all high-tech gadgets along with human scrutiny is being maintained.

A strict watch is also being maintained for movement of civilians along the Line of Control as terrorists may disguise themselves as nomads or shepherds to pick up an arms consignment.

“We have discovered some dumps of arms and ammunition in recent past along the LoC. This is a clear indication that people across the border are making shallow infiltration, dumping the weapons and returning to their launch pads across the border. This may be because of robust anti-infiltration grid being in place.”

On whether Pakistan is gathering its troops along the LoC in the view of increased tension in Ladakh sector between India and China, Gen Raju said, “We have not noticed any such attempts so far but let me assure that we are prepared for any eventuality and ready to give a befitting reply”. – PTI

Also read: Pakistan summons senior Indian diplomat over alleged ceasefire violations

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Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Ambala, September 10

Terming the Rafale fighter a game changer for India’s security, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the induction of the aircraft has sent a strong message to the world, especially to those who challenge the country’s sovereignty.

Speaking at the formal induction ceremony for the first batch of five Rafales with No.17 Squadron at the Ambala Air Force Station today, Rajnath said the induction was significant in the light of the present situation that has been created on the borders.

All-weather fighter

• Rafale literally means ‘gust of wind’ or ‘burst of fire’
• Five fighter aircraft arrived on July 29 from France
• India signed a pact for 36 jets at a cost of Rs 59,000 cr
• Combat aircraft is N-capable

Editorial: Welcome Rafale

Also read: Induction of Rafale jets big, stern message to those eyeing India’s sovereignty: Rajnath

Rafale may participate in joint exercise in France next year

Reiterating the resolve to not compromise India’s sovereignty under any circumstances, he said: “Strengthening our defence is aimed at achieving international peace and stability and we do not want to take any step that can endanger international peace. We have the same expectation from our neighbours and other countries of the world.”

‘India to have edge’

In strategic terms, it (Rafale induction) means India will have an edge over the entire region to protect its people…. France has always stood beside India in good times and bad. —Florence Parly, French Defence Minister

Complimenting the IAF for its swift and decisive action during the current standoff in Ladakh, he said the speed with which the IAF deployed its assets at forward bases instilled confidence that it was fully prepared to carry out its operational tasks.

Stating that the IAF needed to look into new challenges related to artificial intelligence and unconventional warfare, he said the defence capabilities had to be constantly upgraded. He added that India’s commitments were not just restricted to its borders, but had been expanded to the Indian Ocean Region and the Indo-Pacific where India’s role has been well received internationally.

French Minister for the Armed Forces Florence Parly said the aircraft provided an invaluable sovereign tool to India to meet its security requirements. She Parly added that the induction of the Rafale was testimony to the strong Indo-French strategic partnership. Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said the Rafale induction could not have come at a more appropriate time.

To work closely in Indian Ocean Region

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his French counterpart Florence Parly held extensive talks during which they vowed to step up cooperation in the Indian Ocean, a region which is witnessing rising Chinese military posturing.

The formal induction of the first batch of five Rafale multirole fighter jets into the 17 Squadron at Ambala air base marks a new chapter for the Indian Air Force — the first imported fighter to be operationalised since the Russian Sukhoi-30s in the late 1990s. The jets had landed in the country in July-end, nearly four years after the signing of an inter-governmental agreement with France to buy 36 jets for Rs 59,000 crore. The entire fleet is expected to be in India by 2021-end, going some way toward filling the country’s larger requirement of 126 such jets. It has taken almost 19 years to acquire the new generation fighter jets, a pointer to the painfully slow defence procurement and planning processes.

Amid the unprecedented border faceoff with China, the arrival of the fighters does provide a boost for military capability, but is it enough to alter the balance of power or signal a clear strategic shift in India’s favour? For the IAF, the depleting strength of fighter jets remains a huge challenge, and any possible collusion between the Pakistani and Chinese air forces only adds to the concerns. The Ministry of Defence recently approved the purchase of 21 Russian MiG-29 and 12 Sukhoi Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft as replacements. However, against an authorisation of 42 squadrons, the IAF is expected to have only 29 in 2023.

At the ceremony, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described the acquisition as a game-changer, while his French counterpart said in military terms, Rafale — which literally means a ‘gust of wind’ or a ‘burst of fire’ — lends India a world class capability and its Air Force an incredible sovereign tool. India’s military prowess and commitment is unquestioned. While a loud and unabashed reminder to the enemy of the price to pay for any misadventure is normal in these times, a toned-down grandstanding is not a sign of weakness. To the contrary, a country that sees itself as a major player in global politics should practise sobriety by saying less and doing more.