Question: Tell me what you know about Rafale aircraft.
Answer: The IAF is flying 36 Rafale jets received from France in 2020. The Rafale jet has been described as a “game changer" for the Indian Air Force (IAF) as it has significantly increased its capabilities. Rafale is equipped with weapons, including the European missile maker, MBDA's beyond visual range air-to-air missile (Meteor) and Scalp cruise missile. Besides the missile systems, the Rafale jets have various India-specific modifications, including Israeli helmet-mounted displays, radar warning receivers, low-band jammers, 10-hour flight data recording, and infra-red search and tracking systems. India received 30 fighter jets and six trainer aircraft (the trainer jets are twin-seater).
The Rafale aircraft is primarily based at Ambala and Hasimara. The Indo-Pak border is around 220 km from Ambala. The second squadron of Rafale is stationed at the Hasimara air base in West Bengal. The IAF has spent around Rs 400 crore to develop the required infrastructure like shelters, hangars, and maintenance facilities at the two bases.
In April 2025, India signed a significant defence agreement with France to procure 26 Rafale-Marine fighter jets, valued at approximately ?63,000 crore. This includes 22 single-seat jets and 4 twin-seat jets. This deal marks India's first acquisition of the naval variant of the Rafale, making it the first international operator of this model. The deal also covers pilot training, flight simulators, weapons, essential equipment, and long-term maintenance support. In addition, it includes extra gear for the Rafale jets already being used by the Indian Air Force. In line with the Government's thrust on Aatmanirbhar Bharat. The agreement includes the transfer of Technology for the integration of indigenous weapons in India.