As tensions rise India has purchased four “unmatchable” fighter jets which arrive at the end of July boosting their power.
India are to receive four Rafale fighter jets which are capable of carrying out a wide range of short and long-range missions.
Rafale means a “burst of fire” in the military sense which are twin engine and a multirole fighter aircraft which can also be refuelled in air.
The French fighter jets are capable of conducting ground and sea attacks, reconnaissance, with high accuracy strikes and nuclear strike deterrence, which cannot be matched by China and Pakistan’s airforce.
Tensions are rising between India, China and Pakistan and the news of the fighter jets which are capable of carrying long-range Meteor air-to-air missiles will cause concern and could escalate tensions further.
Defence sources told Asia’s premiere news agency, ANI, “The first four aircrafts including three twin-seater trainer aircrafts and one single-seater fighter aircraft would start arriving by the end of July at the Ambala airbase.
“The trainers will have the tail numbers of the RB series in honour of the Air Force Chief RKS Bhadauria who played a pivotal role in finalising India’s largest-ever defence deal for 36 Rafale combat aircrafts.”
A source said, “From Middle East to India, there would be one mid-air refuelling done by the Indian IL-78 tanker before they land in India.”
Last week India sent fighter jets to the border after Chinese helicopters were flying on the contested border known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The LAC is more than 2,500 miles long which runs through Kasmir region which saw a brief war in 1962.
According to the Indian ANI news outlet, “The Chinese military helicopters were flying very close to the Line of Actual Control.
“After their movement was picked up, the Indian Air Force fighter jets flew patrols in the area.”
Over the weekend skirmishes broke out between the two countries with Indian troops suffering “mild injuries,” on Saturday, forcing fighter jets to fly to the Chinese border.
In a statement the Indian defence ministry said, “Aggressive behaviour by the two sides resulted in minor injuries to troops.
“The two sides disengaged after dialogue and interaction at the local level.”
It was reported that 150 military personnel were involved in the skirmish in the state of Sikkim, with seven Chinese soldiers and four Indian soldiers injured.
Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said, “Chinese border troops have consistently upheld the peace and tranquillity in its border areas.”
Tensions are also mounting between the US and China, as a classified Chinese intelligence report warns that China and the US could face a Tiananmen Square global backlash over Covid-19, which could lead to an “armed confrontation.”
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