Books | Not Just a Fighter

Shreeram Chaulia

In July 2020, as the first consignment of the state-of-the-art 4.5 Generation French-made Rafale fighter jets arrived in India, Prime Minister Modi hailed them by evoking a Sanskrit hymn that translates as follows: ‘There is no greater blessing than protecting the nation, protecting the nation is a virtuous deed and protecting the nation is the best yagna [sacrifice]. There is nothing beyond this. Touch the sky with glory. Welcome.’ The touchdown of the Rafales at that moment aroused national cheering in India because the Galwan Valley clash with the Chinese PLA had occurred just a few weeks ago. France had honoured India’s urgent need for beefing up its offensive capabilities by delivering the ‘beauty and beast’ flying machines to the Indian Air Force on an accelerated time-frame.

So strategically impactful was the speedy induction and deployment of the Rafale aircraft near the LAC, where Indian forces were engaged in a stand-off with the PLA, that the Chinese scrambled to bring their most advanced J-20 fighter aircraft to areas close to eastern Ladakh the moment Indian Rafales were in the vicinity. China even made an attempt to contain the strategic impact of the French induction into the Indian Air Force by spinning the narrative that ‘the Rafale is only a third-plus generation fighter jet, and does not stand much of a chance against a stealth, fourth generation one like the J-20.’ R.K.S. Bhadauria, the then Chief of Air Staff of India, publicly responded with confidence: ‘Rafale fighter jets had caused worries in the Chinese camp.’

While the Rafales may not have altered the overall balance of power between India and China, they have been battlespace game-changers, and one cannot underestimate their deterrent effect in preventing further Chinese aggression at the LAC. French aircraft like Rafale and Mirage have partially addressed the shortage of squadrons of advanced jets in the Indian Air Force. French combat aircraft have also remade India’s defence matrix through their massive valuation in the recipient country’s foreign defence procurements. The order for 36 Rafales jet for the Indian Air Force, which was initially placed in 2016, cost $8.8 billion. The 2023 order for 26 additional Rafales (marine version) for the Indian Navy amounted to approximately $6 billion more. Acquisition of Scorpene diese