The 4th batch of three Indian Air Force (IAF) Rafale fighter jets  landed on Indian soil on March 31 after flying non-stop from France.

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With this fourth batch of 3 aircraft, the IAF's fleet of Dassault Rafale fighter jets has now increased to 14 (Picture source: Indian Air Force)

The Rafale is a French-made twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Equipped with a wide range of weapons, the Rafale is intended to perform air supremacy, interdiction, aerial reconnaissance, ground support, in-depth strike, anti-ship strike, and nuclear deterrence missions. Introduced in 2001, the Rafale is being produced for both the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations in the French Navy. The Rafale has been marketed for export to several countries and was selected for purchase by the Indian Air Force, the Egyptian Air Force, and the Qatar Air Force. The Rafale has been used in combat over Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Iraq and Syria.

The three Rafales were refueled in-flight by UAE Air Force tankers. "This marks yet another milestone in the strong relationship between the two Air Forces" said the official Twitter account of the IAF, thanking the UAE.

The first batch of five Rafales of the 36 ordered by the IAF reached the Ambala airbase on July 29, 2020 after a stopover at the Al Dhafra airbase near Abu Dhabi. The second batch of the IAF’s three Rafale fighter jets had reached the Jamnagar airbase in Gujarat from France in early November 2020 before they flew to their homebase in Ambala. Indian Air Force pilots are being trained in batches at the Saint-Dizier air base in France. The third batch of three Rafale aircraft landed at an IAF base on January 27, 2021.

With this fourth batch of 3 aircraft, the IAF's fleet of Dassault Rafale fighter jets has now increased to 14.