Indian Air Force induced 5 of the 36 Dassault Rafale fighter jets in the fleet on Thursday. Indian government ordered 4.5 generation Rafale from Dassault Aviation of France in 2016. Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and French Defense Minister Florence Parly were present in the ceremony at Ambala air force base.
Three single seater two double seater Rafale arrived to India on 29th July and were formally induced in IAF’s No 17 ‘Golden Arrow’ Squadron on 10 September.
Former World Cup winning captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni also expressed happiness with Rafale getting induced in IAF. The veteran of 350 ODIs said in a tweet- “With the Final Induction Ceremony the world’s best combat proven 4.5Gen fighter plane gets the world’s best fighter pilots. In the hands of our pilots and the mix of different aircrafts with the IAF the potent bird’s lethality will only increase,”.
With the Final Induction Ceremony the world’s best combat proven 4.5Gen fighter plane gets the world’s best fighter pilots. In the hands of our pilots and the mix of different aircrafts with the IAF the potent bird’s lethality will only increase.
— Mahendra Singh Dhoni (@msdhoni) September 10, 2020
Dhoni’s love for army has not been a secret affair as he holds the honorary title of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army. The veteran glovesman had a stint with his army battalion from 1st to 15st August last year. Dhoni also revealed his favourite fighter bird and interestingly it was not the newly inducted Rafale.
Dhoni revealed that Sukhoi SU 30MKI remains his favourite aircraft. The 4th generation Sukhoi were induced in air force in 2000 and Russia remains its place of origin.
“Wishing The Glorious 17 Squadron(Golden Arrows) all the very best and for all of us hope the Rafale beats the service record of the Mirage 2000 but Su30MKI remains my fav and the boys get new target to dogfight with and wait for BVR engagement till their upgrade to Super Sukhoi,” Dhoni tweeted.
Wishing The Glorious 17 Squadron(Golden Arrows) all the very best and for all of us hope the Rafale beats the service record of the Mirage 2000 but Su30MKI remains my fav and the boys get new target to dogfight with and wait for BVR engagement till their upgrade to Super Sukhoi
— Mahendra Singh Dhoni (@msdhoni) September 10, 2020
