At least five out of the first batch of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft are likely to join the Indian Air Force (IAF) by July end, providing it much-needed muscle amid a depleting fighter strength.
The Indian Army is stretched between its northern borders with China where it is locked in multiple standoffs with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, while in the western borders it is busy tackling the increasing cross-border firing and infiltration bids by Pakistan-based terror groups.
In either case, it is air power that could tip the balance.
The Rafale fighter aircraft will be armed with beyond visual range missiles like Meteor, SCALP and MICA, increasing their ability to take on incoming targets from a distance.
