Indian Air Force expects delivery of first five Rafale fighters in late July

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is expecting delivery of the first five of 36 Dassault Rafale multirole fighter aircraft before the end of July, according to a 20 July statement by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in New Delhi.

The aircraft are expected to be inducted at Ambala Air Force Station (AFS) in northern India on 29 July “subject to [the] weather”, said the MoD, adding that no media coverage is planned on arrival.

The final induction ceremony will take place in the second half of August.

France’s Dassault Aviation in October 2019 released images of the second of 36 Rafale aircraft ordered for the IAF in September 2016. (Dassault Aviation/G. Gosset)

“IAF aircrew and ground crew have undergone comprehensive training on the aircraft, including its highly advanced weapon systems, and are fully operational now. Post arrival, efforts will focus on operationalisation of the aircraft at the earliest,” added the MoD.

India ordered 36 Rafales in 2016 for EUR7.9 billion (USD9.04 billion) and took delivery of the first of these fighters in a ceremony held in France in October 2019.

This aircraft was initially expected to be one of four Rafales to be ferried to Ambala AFS in April or May for induction into the IAF’s 17 ‘Golden Arrows’ squadron, which is set to operate a total of 18 Rafales. The delivery, however, was delayed as a result of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.