Rafale in India: Rajnath Singh welcomes Rafales jets, says India can deter any threat now

The Touchdown of Rafale at Ambala. pic.twitter.com/e3OFQa1bZY

Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) July 29, 2020

3.40 pm: Rajnath Singh slams Congress

Defence Minister hails PM Modi for Rafale deal, says all charges answered and settled.

3.35 pm: Congress takes credit: welcomes arrival of Rafale jets

The party says UPA govt identified Rafale. Cries cam in BJP Rafale deal in tweets.

The Congress Rafale purchase would have ensured India receives 126 jets instead of BJP's 36.

108 Rafale jets would have been Made in India.

India would have received the Rafale jets by approx 2016

Cost of each Rafale jet would have been Rs. 526 crore.

Congress (@INCIndia) July 29, 2020

We congratulate the Indian Air Force on receiving the Rafale jets.

INC govt's labour in identifying & purchasing Rafale in 2012 have finally borne fruit.

The stark difference between the Congress & BJP deal reveal the BJP's scam:

Congress (@INCIndia) July 29, 2020

3.28 pm: Air chief Marshal receives Rafale Jets at Ambala air base.

3.21 pm: Rajnath Singh welcomes Rafale fighter jets home

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in a series of tweets welcomed Rafale jets home saying that India can deter any threat now.

I would like to add, if it is anyone who should be worried about or critical about this new capability of the Indian Air Force, it should be those who want to threaten our territorial integrity.

Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) July 29, 2020

3.15 pm: Breaking news: India welcomes Rafales

Rafale jets touch down at Ambala air base.

3.11 pm: Rafale jets in India

The first squadron of the fighter jets will be stationed at the Ambala Air Force Station, as it is one of the most strategically located bases of the Indian Air Force (IAF). The India-Pakistan border is nearly 220 km from there. Meanwhile, the second squadron of Rafale will be deployed at Hasimara base in West Bengal.

3.06 pm: The wait is over, Rafale jets to land at Ambala air base anytime now

2.56 pm: Breaking news: Five Rafale jets have crossed Agra and are slated to land at Ambala air base at around 3 pm

The jets entered the Indian airspace some time ago.

2.41 pm: Still from the visuals tweeted by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

2.32 pm: Here is the audio message exchanged between the Rafale contingent and INS Kolkata

INS Kolkata: Welcome to Indian Ocean.

Rafale pilot: Many thanks. Most reassuring to have an Indian warship guarding seas

INS Kolkata: May you touch the sky with glory. Happy landings

Rafale leader: Wish you fair winds. Happy hunting. Over and out

2.25 pm: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweets first visuals of Rafalt fighter jets

The Defence Minister put out a tweet with "five Rafales escorted by 02 SU30 MKIs as they enter the Indian air space".

The five Rafales escorted by 02 SU30 MKIs as they enter the Indian air space.@IAF_MCC pic.twitter.com/djpt16OqVd

/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) July 29, 2020

2.18 pm: Ambala air base ready to welcome Rafale fighter jets

Ambala air base is all decked up and ready to welcome the first batch of five Rafate jets.

2.11 pm: Rafale jets to land at Ambala air base shortly

The countdown begins as the first five Rafale fighter jets can land at Ambala air base anytime from now.

2.05 pm: Rafale jets enter Indian airspace

Chief of Air Staff RKS Bhadauria will receive the first batch of five Rafale fighter jets at Ambala air base. The aircraft will carry RB series tail numbers, the initials of Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, who played an important role in negotiations between India and France for the mega deal.

1.55 pm: Rafales enter India

The first batch of five Rafale aircraft landed at UAE's Al Dhafra base on Tuesday night as part of an overnight halt. The three single-seater and two double-seater aircraft had begun their journey on Monday from the French port city of Bordeaux. The jets will be inducted into the Indian Air Force's No 17 Squadron, also called the 'Golden Arrows'. India had signed a deal worth Rs 59,000 crore on September 23, 2016 to procure 36 Rafale jets from Frech company Dassault Aviation.

1.42 pm: Listen to the Indian Navy's radio message as first batch of Rafale jets enter the Indian airspace

https://www.businesstoday.in/podcast/bulletin/indian-navy-warship-welcomes-rafales-to-indian-territory/411405.html

1.35 pm: Indian Navy's radio message to Rafale jets

Indian naval ship INS kolkata welcomed Rafale jets as they entered the Indian airspace on Wednesday. The jets will land at the Ambala air base shortly.

1.27 pm: Breaking news: First batch of Rafale jets enter Indian airspace

1.15 pm: First five Rafale jets en route to India- Countdown begins

The warbirds have already taken off from UAE, will touch down at Ambala air base in a short while.

12.15 PM: Rafale carries potent weapons

The aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons, including missile maker MBDA's Meteor, and Scalp cruise missile. While meteor is a beyond visual range (about 150 km) air-to-air missile, the scalp is a long-range cruise missile with a range of 200 km. Both of these missiles can carry out deep strikes against enemy aircraft and targets on land.

12.05 PM: Major upgradation at Ambala airbase

For the deployment of the Rafale squadron, major infrastructure upgrades have been done at the Ambala airbase. The airbase currently has two squadrons of the Jaguar combat aircraft and one squadron of the MIG-21 Bison.

Also read: 5 Rafale fighter jets to land in India shortly; key highlights

11.59 AM: Rafale deal in brief

In September 2016, India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 Rafale jets at a cost of around Rs 59,000 crore. The purchase was made to further strengthen the Indian Air Force's combat capabilities. Of the 36 aircraft are arriving today.

11.50 AM: Ambala people enthusiastic about Rafale arrival in city

As per Haryana Home Minister and six-term MLA from Ambala Cantt Anil Vij, the people of Ambala are very enthusiastic and thousands would have come out on the streets to welcome the fighter jets before the touchdown had there not been a pandemic.

11.46 AM: India's Rafale Vs China's Chengdu J20

The arrival of Rafale jets comes amid escalating border tension between India and China along the Line of Actual Control. Although China claims air superiority over India, the induction of Rafale fighter aircraft into the Indian Air Force could give India much-needed confidence to take on China's J20 5th generation aircraft.

Also read: Rafale fighter jets to reach India tomorrow; here's how it's better than China's Chengdu J20  

11.43 AM: Iran's military drill near UAE airbase where Rafales were parked

Iran's Revolutionary Guards on Tuesday launched a military drill closed to Al Dhafra in UAE and Al Udeid in Qatar. The two bases in the Middle East, housing US troops and French troops, went on high alert when three Iranian missiles dropped in the waters near the bases. Incidentally, India's five Rafale jets were parked at the Al Dhafra airbase at that time. The Rafales began their journey from the Merignac airbase in the French port city of Bordeaux on Monday. 

Also read: Iran holds military drill near UAE airbase where Indian Rafales are on halt

11.45 am: Rafale to be inducted into No. 17 Squadron

The Rafales will be inducted into the Indian Air Force's No 17 Squadron, also known as the 'Golden Arrows'. The five Rafale fighter aircraft took off from UAE at around 11 am IST and reach Ambala by 2 pm today.

11.37 am: Visuals from Ambala city

Haryana: First batch of five Rafale aircraft will arrive in Ambala today to join the India Air Force (IAF) fleet. Visuals from Ambala city.

Sec 144 CrPC imposed in 4 villages closer to Ambala airbase. Gathering of people on roofs & photography during landing strictly prohibited. pic.twitter.com/llbDp6ZC4G

ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2020