Defense deals with France have been in place for around a decade and a half. In 2007, the proposal of the Air Force to purchase Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) was sent to the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh through the Ministry of Defense, after which the Indian government issued a tender to purchase 126 fighter aircraft including Boeing of America. Aircraft such as the F / A-18 Super Hornet, France’s Dassault Rafale, Britain’s Eurofighter, America’s Lockheed Martin F-16 Falcon, Russia’s Mikhayan MIG-35 and Sweden’s Saab JAS-39 Gripen were included but ultimately Rafael of France You beat your hand in it! Even though this deal could not be done in 2014 under the UPA government due to irrelevant reasons!

Soon after winning the election, Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister as soon as he started scanning the files of the soldiers and defense deals of the country! In view of the dilemma of the Rafale deal from France, on 10 April 2015 PM Modi visited the French capital Paris and announced his government’s decision to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets ready for flight. In June 2015, the Ministry of Defense withdrew the tender to purchase 126 aircraft, but it could not be expedited.

On 26 January 2016, French President Hollande visited India to participate in the Republic Day Parade. Earlier on 24 January, Reliance Entertainment issued a press release stating that an MoU has been signed between Hollande and the Government of India to buy Rafale aircraft, named Indo-French Joint Production, and some changes in Rafale India It was agreed to be done on the direction of the government.

In September 2016, the final deal to buy 36 Rafale aircraft was signed between the then Defense Minister of India Manohar Parrikar and France. These aircraft were valued at Euro 7.87 billion. According to this deal, the delivery of these aircraft was said to start from September 2018, but with the opposition’s uproar, its current price has increased and now the deal has been fixed at 7.9 billion Euros, which is 59 thousand crores according to Indian currency. Amounted to

However, on 27 July last, 7 Indian pilots flew five Rafale aircraft from France to India for 7000 km and took off 5 Rafale fighter jets at Ambala Airforce base on 29 July 2020 at 3.15 pm. This was the first time a defense deal got such huge coverage internationally and millions of Indians eagerly awaited the arrival of these fighter jets to India safely. An incident on 28 July 2020 caught the attention of the international community when three missiles were fired by Iran during a war exercise, during which the US and French military fighter aircraft stood at Al Dhafra airbase in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Yes, the missiles fell very close to the airbase.

This is Rafael’s brief information! Let us now know about those Indian Gaganveer pilots who flew these planes and brought Ambala airbase from France to India! These pilots include the commanding officer of 17 Squadron, Group Captain Harkirat Singh, Wing Commander MK Singh, Group Captain R Kataria, Wing Commander Abhishek Tripathi, Wing Commander Manish Singh, Wing Commander Sidhu, and Wing Commander Arun Kumar.

Group Captain Rohit Kataria hails from Gurugram Haryana. His father was also an officer in the army. Retired Colonel’s son Rohit has studied at Tilaiya Sainik School in Jharkhand. Rohit’s mother has been a school teacher. Rohit was commissioned in the Air Force in 2003 and was posted in Gwalior before going to France for training. He has flown Mirage and Sukhoi fighter jets before Rafael. In the batch of 5 aircraft, the first aircraft was landed by the commanding officer of the 17th Golden Arrow Squadron of the Air Force and the Shaurya Chakra winner Group Captain Harkirat Singh. Group Captain Harkirat Singh is not an introduction. He was awarded the Shaurya Chakra for putting the aircraft to a safe landing despite risking engines. The incident is dated 23 September 2008. He was the squadron leader then.

Air Commodore Hilal Ahmad, who hails from Jammu and Kashmir, is also being praised for getting the deal done between France and India for the Rafale aircraft and for delivering these on time. He is attached to the Indian Air Force in France, he has contributed a lot in getting the deal done, this is the first Indian who has flown Rafael first.

Wing Commander Abhishek Tripathi will bring Rafael to Ambala. His family lives in Jaipur, where he grew up and completed his studies. But his native village Hardoi also has an atmosphere of happiness and everyone is proud of him. The relatives living here

Wing Commander Abhishek Tripathi is also one of the pilots who flew Rafale to India. Abhishek was born in Jalore, Rajasthan while his family hails from Hardoi UP. His father, Anil Tripathi, works in the bank while mother in the sales tax department. His brother Anubhav Tripathi is an engineer in the US. Wife Priyanka is a resident of Lucknow. After studying in the school of Jalore itself, Abhishek came to Jaipur to study 11th-12th. He then did his MSc from Jawaharlal Nehru University Delhi. Joined the NDA in 2001 and was commissioned as a fighter pilot from the Air Force Academy.

Hilal Ahmed Rathar is the first Indian to fly Rafale Aircraft. Air Commodore Hilal Ahmad Rathar is from Anantnag, a militant-infested area in Kashmir. 52-year-old Hilal Ahmed Rather is currently an Air Attache in France.

The father of Air Commodore Hilal Ahmed Rather, who hails from Kashmir, was a DSP in the police. Hilal Ahmed Rathar is the first Indian to fly Rafael. Air Commodore Hilal Ahmad Rather is from Anantnag, a militant-infested area in Kashmir. 52-year-old Hilal Ahmed Rather is currently an Air Attache in France. Born in Kashmir, Hilal’s father Mohammad Abdullah Rather was DSP in the Jammu and Kashmir Police. He has three sisters while he is the only son of Mohammad Abdullah Rather.

He studied at Sainik School, Nagrota near Jammu and was commissioned in the Air Force in 1988 as a fighter pilot. After graduation from Defense Service Staff College, he also studied at Air War College America. He has earned the Sword of Honor while passing from NDA. He has 3000 hours of flying records with no accident. He has flown Mirage-200, MiG-21, and Kiran aircraft. Now Rafael has also been added to this list. He has also been the commanding officer of Mirage’s squadron in Gwalior.

Wing Commander Manish Singh hails from Ballia, Uttar Pradesh. He was posted in Gorakhpur before going to France to train Rafael and before that Ambala and Jamnagar. His brother Aneesh is in the Navy. While the father retired from the grandfather’s army. Manish studied at Kunjpura Sainik School, Haryana. He was then selected in the NDA and commissioned in the Air Force in 2003 as a fighter pilot. Manish did his early education in a private school in the village and then after sixth grade, he went to Sainik School.

Wing Commander Arun Kumar is among the five pilots who came to India with Rafael. Arun Kumar, who has been serving in the Air Force for 15 years, went to study at Vijaypur Military School in 1994. He was commissioned in the Air Force in 2002.