India gets three more Rafale fighter jets from France

According to the IAF, the aircraft landed in the country after a direct ferry from Istres Air Base in France, and UAE Air Force extended support for mid-air refuelling during the non-stop ferry.

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NEW DELHI:

A fresh batch of three Rafale aircraft arrived in India on Wednesday evening after flying non-stop from France, informed the Indian Air Force (IAF) through its Twitter handle.

According to the IAF, the aircraft landed in the country after a direct ferry from Istres Air Base in France, and UAE Air Force extended support for mid-air refuelling during the non-stop ferry.

"Three Rafale aircraft arrived in India a short while ago, after a direct ferry from IstresAirBase, France. IAF deeply appreciates the support by UAE Air Force for in-flight refuelling during the non-stop ferry, the IAF tweeted.

The first batch of five French-made multirole Rafale fighters arrived in India on July 29 last year, followed by additional phase-wise deliveries over the last one year.

India has purchased a total of 36 Rafale jets from France to boost its air power capability in the region, and add to its air prowess given the fact that the country is phasing out the Russian origin MIG fighter jets, which has remained a backbone of the IAF arsenal for decades.

(Edited by Shankar Kumar Turha)

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