India to get first Rafale plane on September 20
India is going to get its first Rafale fighter jet soon. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa are going to visit France on 20 September. India will get the first Rafale fighter jet manufactured by French firm Dassault Aviation by next month.
Defense Ministry officials told ANI that a large team led by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh is being sent by the central government to take delivery of Rafale aircraft on 20 September. French officials will hand over the first Rafale aircraft from the construction plant to the defense minister and the Indian Air Force chief.
Officials said the Indian Rafale is far more advanced than the aircraft being used by the French Air Force. For this reason, Indian pilots will continue to be trained till May next year. India has signed an agreement with France for 36 Rafale fighter jets. The consignment of the aircraft will start arriving in India from France next May.
24 pilots training by May next year
Indian Rafale aircraft are equipped with many different technologies, which are designed at a cost of about one billion euros. At present, a team of Indian pilots is already taking training from French Air Force aircraft. 24 pilots will be trained to fly Indian Rafale by May next year.
