IAF chief RKS Bhadauria visits France on five-day tour as Rafale deliveries gain stride
Bhadauria will hold meetings and discussions with senior military leadership of France and visit operational facilities and airbases.
FollowChief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria left for France on Monday on a five-day visit, a visit billed as a "significant step" in further enhancing mutual cooperation. The Indian Air Force said the visit marks the continuity of growing bilateral defence cooperation.
Only last year, General Philippe Lavigne, Chief of Staff, French Air and Space Force (FASF), had visited India.
Bhadauria will hold meetings and discussions with senior military leadership of France and visit operational facilities and airbases.
The IAF took to Twitter to announce his visit to France. “Air Chief Mshl RKS Bhadauria, CAS embarked on an official visit to France today on an invitation from Gen Philippe Lavigne, Chief of Staff @Armee_de_lair. The visit from Apr 19-23 will enhance potential avenues for strengthening the level of interaction between the two Air Forces,” it tweeted.
Last week, sources had said there is a possibility of Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria flagging-off a batch of five-six Rafale jets from the Merignac airbase in the French port city of Bordeaux for India. Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer of Rafales, was scheduled to send six Rafale aircraft to India by the end of April.
The arrival of the new batch of the aircraft will pave the way for the IAF to raise a second squadron of the Rafale jets. The new squadron will be based in Hasimara air base in West Bengal. The first Rafale squadron is based at the Ambala air force station. A squadron comprises around 18 aircraft.
The two air forces have seen significant operational interaction in the recent past. IAF and FASF engage in the bilateral air exercise series, Garuda, as well as hop exercises, the last being exercise Desert Knight 21 held at Air Force Station, Jodhpur, in January 2021. They also participated in exercise Desert Flag hosted by UAE Air Force along with other friendly countries in March 2021.
India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France in September 2016 for procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets at a cost of around Rs 58,000 crore.
