The IAF will now have eight Rafale jets in service. India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 of these aircraft at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has received the second batch of three Rafale combat aircraft at Jamnagar airbase in Gujarat all the way from France on Wednesday.

Jets arrived in India at 8:14 PM on Wednesday after flying non-stop from France.

The IAF will now have eight Rafale jets in service. India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 of these aircraft at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore.

The Rafale is a 4.5 generation aircraft and has the latest weapons, superior sensors and fully integrated architecture.

A team of experts led by Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Projects) coordinated the logistical issues for receiving the three combat jets. The air force pilots were trained in batches in France at Saint-Dizier airbase.

India has received the first batch of five Rafale aircraft on July 29 which were inducted on September 10 at Ambala Air Base in the 17 ‘Golden Arrows’ Squadron.