(This Story Was Originally Posted By Hindustan Times)
The state of the relationship will be on display later this month when the UAE Air Force will handle the mid-air refuelling of India’s three Rafale fighter jets flying into the Indian Air Force station at Ambala from France, people familiar with the matter said.
The UAE air force’s Airbus multi-role transport tanker will twice refuel the three Indian fighter jets on their non-stop eight-hour flight from Bordeaux-Merignac base in France to join the Golden Arrows Squadron in Ambala.
When five Rafale fighters flew non-stop to India from France on July 29, 2020, the aircraft was refuelled four times by a French MRTT.
The UAE air force’s gesture is the first-of-its-kind and reflects how the two countries are rapidly cementing their security ties, a person familiar with the matter said. The next level would be trilateral military exercises involving France, UAE and India.
The UAE Air Force will also provide mid-air refuelling to the next batch of seven Rafale fighters coming to India in second batch coming of rafale.
As of now, four French Air Force’s Rafale fighters along with an Airbus MRTT are exercising with the Indian Air Force in the skies over Pokhran.
The French fighters will later participate in annual exercises with the Australian Air Force. India is also considering Airbus MRTT as one of the options to boost IAF’s power projection and endurance in Asia.
