City
Epaper

IAF has received three Rafale jets so far: Minister

By IANS | Updated: November 20, 2019 22:40 IST

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has so far received three Rafale fighter jets from the French aircraft maker Dassault Aviation. These three aircraft are being used to train pilots and technic in France, Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

Open in App

Naik said through a written reply to a question by T.N. Prathapan that the government has so far not recommended any company for the production of Rafale jets in India.

India entered into an Inter-Governmental Agreement with France and Dassault Aviation in September 2016 to purchase 36 Rafale fighter jets in flyaway condition from the French aircraft maker at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore.

"The Performance Audit Report of CAG on Capital Acquisition in Indian Air Force presented in Parliament on February 13, 2019 has brought out that the entire package price of the 36 Rafale procurement is 2.86% lower than the Audit Aligned price compared to MMRCA process, Naik stated in the reply.

"That CAG report has also brought out that Non-Firm & Fixed (F&F) bid as done in the 36 Rafale IGA may be more advantageous than Firm & Fixed offer," he stated.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had formally received the first of the 36 Rafale fighter jets in Merignac, France on the occasion of Dussehra on October 8.

Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria had said soon after taking over as the IAF Chief that the first Rafale jets will be seen in Indian skies only in May 2020 by when pilots will be sufficiently trained to fly the advanced fighter jets.

As per the delivery schedule, India will receive the first 18 Rafale jets by February 2021. By April-May 2022 Dassault will hand over all 36 jets to India.

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: indiaDassault AviationNaikfranceT N Prathapan
Open in App

Related Stories

MumbaiMumbai: Gold Sales Cross ₹12,000 Crores Nationwide on Akshaya Tritiya; Mumbai MMR Sees ₹800 Crores Trade

NationalAkshaya Tritiya 2025: Gold Market Sees Huge Footfall Despite Price Hike (Watch Video)

MaharashtraOver 10,000 Pakistani Nationals Traced in Maharashtra and Delhi Post-Palgham Terror Attack

MumbaiViral Sighting of Tesla Cybertruck Near Mumbai Stirs EV Enthusiasm (Photos)

NationalPM Narendra Modi Discusses Tech and Innovation Collaboration With Elon Musk

National Realted Stories

National20-day cleanliness campaign for transformed Delhi to begin today under CM Gupta

NationalLightning Strike Kills Two MGNREGA Workers in Firozabad, One Injured

NationalPM Modi to inaugurate Vizhinjam Port in Kerala; launch Rs 58,000 cr projects in Andhra Pradesh today

NationalFlight operations hit as strong winds, heavy rains lash Delhi-NCR

NationalPakistan Army resorts to unprovoked firing on LoC in J&K for 8th consecutive day