Risking the chance of facing a two-front war scenario with Pakistan and China, IAF readies Rafale fighter jets for a combat role. The deteriorating ties with Pakistan, that has been aggravated by the fresh thrust of CPEC passing through the Indian part under PoK and the dissenting Balochistan and Pakistan's close collusion with China.
While China, that had raised aggressive military exercises and a quantum increase in Indo-China border patrolling, had in all forced the Indian Air Force to the decision to deploy Rafale jets in Ambala and Hasimara. IAF's plan is to station the fighter jets at the eastern and western front and will make it combat ready.
In September 2016, India signed a deal with French Dassault Aviation to procure 36 Rafale fighter jets for close to Rs 60,000 crore to arrest the fall of combat squadrons and meet urgent requirements on the eastern and western fronts.
French aircraft manufacturer has already started the process of building the aircraft, and they are supposed to be delivered from September 2019 onwards. "We are requesting the French to advance the deliveries to meet our requirements and hope to get a positive reply," the official added.
French aircraft manufacturer has already started the process of building the aircraft, and they are supposed to be delivered from September 2019 onwards. "We are requesting the French to advance the deliveries to meet our requirements and hope to get a positive reply," the official added.
Prime Minister's Office (PMO) was consulted before the acquisition was finalised, the service had stressed that on the China front, it would require a plane like Rafale due to its long range capabilities. The Air Force has rated Rafale planes higher than Su-30 MKIs, 272 of which have been ordered by India from Russia.
After aggressive patrolling by the Chinese on the eastern and northern borders and its increasing defence ties with Pakistan, the Indian military has been preparing itself for a two-front war and developing infrastructure on both sides. The earlier plan was to deploy one squadron at Sarsawa air base in Uttar Pradesh, but that did not work out due to land acquisition issues, after which Ambala was chosen. The Ambala base has some jaguar aircraft squadrons catering to the western front.
On the eastern front, the Hasimara air base close to the China border would see Rafale planes replacing the existing MiG 27 squadrons, which are on their way out of the air force.