The French air force’s Rafales will be accompanied by the Airbus A330 multi-role tanker transport aircraft (MRTT) for aerial refuelling support. The four fighters will also participate in joint exercises with the Australian Air Force before reaching India. The wargames, named Exercise Skyros, will take place over the air force firing range in Rajasthan’s Pokhran that had seen Indian Air Force fighters participate in Exercise Vayu Shakti. The Indian Air Force has inducted 11 of the 36 Rafale jets ordered by New Delhi at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore. A senior IAF official had earlier described the French proposal as a win-win for the Indian air force and France.

Source: Hindustan Times January 01, 2021 14:17 UTC