IAF Chief Bhadauria leaves for France

Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria on April 19 left for France, a go to billed as a “significant step” in additional enhancing mutual cooperation.

“The visit of Chief of Air Staff (CAS) from April 19-23 will enhance potential avenues for strengthening the level of interaction between the two Air Forces,” the Indian Air Force stated.

Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria is scheduled to carry talks with the senior army management of France and go to a number of operational amenities and air bases.

“The visit of CAS will be a significant step in further enhancing mutual cooperation,” the IAF stated in an announcement.

Gen. Philippe Lavigne, Chief of Staff of French Air and Space Force (FASF), visited India in February final 12 months.

Last week, sources had stated there’s a chance of Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria flagging-off a batch of 5 to 6 Rafale jets from the Merignac airbase within the French port metropolis of Bordeaux for India.

Dassault Aviation, the producer of Rafales, was scheduled to ship six Rafale plane to India by the top of April.

The arrival of the brand new batch of the plane will pave the way in which for the IAF to lift a second squadron of the Rafale jets. The new squadron shall be primarily based in Hasimara air base in West Bengal.

The first Rafale squadron relies on the Ambala air pressure station. A squadron includes round 18 plane.

India had signed an inter-governmental settlement with France in September 2016 for procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets at a price of round ₹58,000 crore. Dassault Aviation has delivered 14 jets to the Indian Air Force thus far. The first batch of 5 Rafale jets arrived in India on July 29 final.

The cooperation between the Indian and the French air forces have seen gradual growth in the previous couple of years. Both the forces have carried out train collection ‘Garuda’.