India gets first Rafale jet on Vijayadashami
On the occasion of Vijayadashami, France has handed over the first Rafale fighter aircraft to India. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has himself arrived in France to take delivery of the Rafael fighter jet. The French Defense Minister handed over the first Rafale fighter aircraft to India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh.
After receiving the aircraft, Rajnath Singh performed the arms worship (‘Shastra Puja’) and then flew in the Rafale aircraft, a fighter aircraft bought from the French company Dassault. India will acquire 4 Rafale aircraft under the first batch of the deal with Dassault.
Mérignac(France): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh takes official handover of Rafale combat aircraft pic.twitter.com/SVIs39sAvF
— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2019
During this, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said that there is Dussehra festival also known as Vijayadashami today in India. It celebrates victory over evil. With this, today is also the 87th Air Force Day, so this day has become special in many ways.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has gone to Paris on a three-day tour. He had a meeting in Paris between French President Emmanuel Macron. The meeting between the two lasted for 35 minutes. During this, the French Defense Minister was also present. Eight people from India participated in this meeting. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Merignac from Paris to acquire a Rafale fighter jet in Paris, boarding a French military aircraft.
After reaching the French capital Paris, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted that “I am happy to reach France. This country is an important partner of India. He wrote that our special relationship with France is deeper and longer than formal relations. The purpose of my visit to France is to expand the strategic partnership between the two countries.”
Program to be organized at Dassault Production plant
The program of handing over Rafale to Defense Minister Rajnath Singh is at the plant of aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation, about 590 km from Paris. Although the first of the 36 aircraft will be delivered to the Defense Minister on Tuesday itself, the first batch of four aircraft will reach India in May next year. Defense Ministry spokesman Bharat Bhushan Babu said that the Defense Minister would participate in the program of handing over Rafale with French Defense Minister Florence Parly in Merignac. After this, Rajnath will participate in the annual defense talks. They will discuss ways to further strengthen defense and security relations.
