PremiumNEW DELHI: India's Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria left Monday for France on a five-day visit, billed as a “significant step" in further enhancing cooperation with a key strategic partner.
“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 said in a statement.
Premium The trip comes close on the heels of a visit by the French foreign minister Jean-Yves le Drian.
During his visit, Bhadauria is scheduled to hold talks with senior military leadership of France, including his counterpart, and visit several operational facilities and air bases. Gen. Philippe Lavigne, Chief of Staff of French Air and Space Force (FASF), had visited India in February 2020. Bhadauria is also scheduled to visit a Rafale base in France and the offices of the Space Force Command.
Bhaduaria is also expected to flag-off a batch of six Rafale jets from the Merignac airbase in the French port city of Bordeaux for India. The arrival of the new batch of the aircraft will pave the way for the IAF to raise a second squadron of the Rafale jets, based in Hasimara air base in West Bengal. The first Rafale squadron is based at the Ambala air force station.
India had signed an agreement with France in September 2016 for 36 Rafale multirole fighter jets at a cost of around ₹58,000 crore. Dassault Aviation has delivered 14 jets to the Indian Air Force so far. Ties between the Indian and French air forces have seen a gradual expansion in the last few years. Both forces carry out joint exercises codenamed “Garuda."
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