India Receives Sixth Batch Of Rafale Fighter Jets; Gets Two-Third Of Total Order Of 36 Planes

The sixth batch of Rafale fighter jets comprising three aircraft landed in India on Friday (28 May). The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to shortly kick off the flying operations of the second squadron of these planes in Hashmira situated in West Bengal.

The arrival of this sixth batch of Rafale jets means that the country has now received two-third of the total number of planes that it had ordered. Earlier, the fifth consignment of four jets had traversed a total distance of 8,000 km from the Merignac Air Base to reach India on 22 April.

Overall, India had placed orders for 36 such fighter planes to France in September 2016.

The twin-engine Rafale jets are perceived to boost the capabilities of the IAF massively. It can efficiently conduct several missions, such as attacks on ground and sea, surveillance, nuclear strike deterrence, and air defence and superiority.

The air force is also set to obtain an advantage over fighter planes from Pakistan and China through these Rafales, which can reliably carry long-range meteor air-to-air missiles, reports The Economic Times.