Republic Day: Rafale jets to perform air show as part of R-Day celebrations

The Indian Air Force will display nine Rafale aircrafts as part of the grand flypast during the republic day celebrations. The Dassault-made French fighter jet is a multi-role 4.5-generation aircraft and the Indian Air Force's most modern jet. Although Rafale participated in earlier R-Day festivities in 2021 and 2022, this is the first time a quarter of the whole Rafale fleet would participate in a flypast.


The Indian Air Force will have one of the largest contingents during the 74th Republic Day Parade, with a mammoth fleet of fifty aircraft on show. The Rafale Fighter Jet will be among the fifty aircraft, which will include a mix of fighter jets, helicopters, and freight planes.



The first batch of five Rafale planes landed in India on July 29, 2020, roughly four years after India inked an inter-governmental deal with France to purchase 36 aircraft for Rs 59,000 crore. France has delivered all 36 fighter planes to India, and the IAF has established two squadrons of 18 jets each, one in the north and one in the south.


Four Rafale aircraft will fly in the Netra formation and four others in the Vajrang configuration with a C-130 aircraft, with one doing the 'Vertical Charlie' at the conclusion parade.


A C-17 will be flanked by two Su-30s in the 'Bheem' formation added with the 'Vajrang' configuration, while a C-130 will be flanked by four Rafale planes.


Aside from Rafale, all eyes will be on the Ilyushin 38, a long-range observation and anti-submarine warfare aircraft that was commissioned into the Indian Navy in 1977.

FAQs

Q1 From which country Rafale Aircraft came from?
Rafale Aircraft is from France.


Q2 At what price Rafale Aircraft was bought by India?
₹58,891 Crore