At a ceremony against the backdrop of the fighter jet, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday formally received the first Indian Air Force Rafale fighter jet at Dassault Aviation’s Mérignac facility in southwestern France.
“It is a historic day,’’ Rajnath Singh said in his brief remarks before the formal acceptance of the aircraft. The defence minister described the Rs 59,000 crore fighter jet deal as a “new milestone” in the strategic partnership between the two countries and a “new high” in defence cooperation.
The minister told the audience that Rafale, a French word, translated to “a gust of wind” in Hindi and expressed confidence that it would live up to its name and make the Indian Air Force even stronger.
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