The Indian Air Force will formally induct the Rafale aircraft today at 10 am into the 17 Squadron ‘Golden Arrows’ at the Air Force Station in Ambala.

Florence Parly, minister of the French Armed Forces and defence minister Rajnath Singh will be the chief guests of the event.

Parly will also receive a guard of honour upon her arrival in Delhi.

The event will also be attended by the Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar, Dr G Satheesh Reddy, Secretary Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO along with other senior officers.

#RafaleInduction
IAF will formally induct the Rafale aircraft in the 17 Squadron ‘Golden Arrows’ today at Air Force Station, Ambala.
New bird in the arsenal of IAF. pic.twitter.com/cd6k54KJJ0

— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) September 10, 2020

Emmanuel Lenain, French ambassador to India and Eric Autellet, France’s air general will also participate in the induction ceremony.

The ceremonial unveiling of the aircraft will be accompanied with the traditional ‘Sarva Dharma Puja’. The Rafale and Tejas aircrafts will also participate in an Air Display following which the Rafale aircraft will receive a water cannon salute.

The first five Rafale aircrafts of the IAF arrived in Ambala on July 27.

Eric Trappier Chairman and Chief Executive of Dassault Aviation will also be present in the ceremony.

The Indian and French delegation are also scheduled to hold bilateral meeting after the ceremony.

(with inputs from ANI)