Visakhapatnam, Indian Air Force (IAF) will formally induct the Rafale aircraft at Air Force Station in Ambala on Thursday.The aircraft will be part of 17 Squadron, the “Golden Arrows”.The first five IAF Rafale aircrafts had arrived at the Air Force Station, Ambala from France on July 27, an official release said.Union Minister for Defence, Rajnath Singh and France Minister for Armed Forces Ms Florence Parly will be the Chief Guest for the event.Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar, Dr G Satheesh Reddy ( Secretar, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO) along with other senior officers of Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces will be present to mark a very important milestone in the history of the IAF.
The French delegation will be represented by Mr Emmanuel Lenain, Ambassador of France to India, Air General Eric Autellet, Vice Chief of the Air Staff of the French Air Force and other senior officials.A large delegation of senior functionaries of French Defence Industries, including Mr Eric Trappier Chairman and Chief Executive of Dassault Aviation and Mr Eric Beranger, CEO, MBDA will be present during the ceremony. Ms Parly will be given a ceremonial Guard of Honour on her arrival in New Delhi.The program will include the ceremonial unveiling of the Rafale aircraft, a traditional ‘Sarva Dharma Puja’, Air Display by Rafale and Tejas aircrafts as well as by ‘Sarang Aerobatic Team’.Afterwards, a traditional water cannon salute will be given to the Rafale aircraft.The programme will culminate with the ceremonial induction of Rafale aircraft to 17 Squadron.After the ceremonial events the Indian and French delegation will have a bilateral meeting, the release added.