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<ul><li><keyword id="15141" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Air-Force">Indian Air Force</keyword> (IAF) will participate in the sixth edition of <keyword id="3243" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Varuna">Varuna</keyword> exercises with <keyword id="162534" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="French-Air-Force">French Air Force</keyword> (FAF) from July 1-14. </li><li>It is set to be the largest-ever air exercise conducted between the two countries </li><li>It is important for IAF as Rafale fighters are set to arrive in India this year. </li></ul>The Indian Air Force (IAF) will be in France from July 1-14 to participate in its biggest joint air exercise with the country. The Air Force’s contingent for the exercise is named the <keyword id="7796625" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Garuda-Contingent">Garuda Contingent</keyword>. This is the sixth edition of the air exercises between IAF and the French Air Force (FAF). It is an important opportunity as IAF can gain experience in operating its current fleet of <keyword id="1055772" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sukhoi-Su-30">Sukhoi SU-30</keyword> fighters with the Rafales. Indian government had ordered 36 Rafale fighter jets from France, and the first delivery is expected this year. The Garuda contingent will include a large number of its own assets including 10 Sukhoi SU-30 fighters, an Ilyushin IL-78 aerial refuelling tanker, an Ilyushin IL-76 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) and 150 Indian Air Force (IAF) officers. Indo-French defence cooperation on high The Indian and French Naval forces also took part in the Varuna naval exercise in May. The naval exercise were also the largest-ever they took part in. Indian aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya and French aircraft carrier FNS Charles de Gaulle, were the highlights of the exercise, which was conducted in two phases. In 2018, India and France signed a strategic pact allowing each others navies and naval facilities. The pact also allows them to open up naval bases for warships. Garuda is the name Indian Air Force uses for its bilateral air exercises with France. Indian army conducts military exercises with France under the name Shakti. The fourth edition of the Varuna exercises took place in 2014 in Jodhpur, India. The event was attended by French Air Chief General Denis Mercier. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indian-army-is-setting-up-integrated-battle-groups-along-the-pakistan-border-which-will-be-self-sufficient-to-fight-a-war/articleshow/69884097.cms">Indian Army is setting up ‘Integrated battle groups’ along the Pakistan border which will be self-sufficient to fight a war</a>

France and India come closer after Rafale deal, to conduct largest-ever air exercises

The <keyword id="15141" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Air-Force">Indian Air Force</keyword> lacks the required number of squadrons to guard the Indian skies and the numbers are worrisome. 
 
The IAF needs at least 42 squadrons of fighters to safeguard western and northern borders of India with Pakistan and China. 
 
As per a report published in NDTV, the IAF has just 32 squadrons of fighters - the lowest in a decade. 
 Reportedly, <keyword id="2619377" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="defence-minister-Manohar-Parrikar">Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar</keyword> has raised the concern with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the operational difficulties that the IAF faces because of the depletion in fighters. 
 
NDTV reported that the air force de-commissioned three of the aging Russian-made MiG 21 squadrons from 34 to 31. Also, an additional squadron of the Russian-made Su-30 MKI has been raised. 
 
By 2019 -2020, as per reports, it will lose another 14 squadrons of the vintage MiG 21s and MiG 27s. There are 16-18 planes in one squadron. 
Presently, the IAF depends on Su-30 MKI and MiG 29s. 
 
The picture , the British-made Jaguar and French-made Mirage 2000s. An upgrade of the Jaguar fighters being carried out by the public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Limited or HAL has been delayed by two years. 
 
Even the 36 French-made Rafale fighters deal is being worked out. 
 
"Its performance at Baharin was however encouraging and we hope the FOC comes through soon," a senior officer told NDTV, adding, the "IAF is ready to induct as many Tejas fighters as possible to plug the gaps."

Indian Air Force does not have enough squadrons and the numbers are worrisome

NEW DELHI: When the <keyword id="6376012" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Tejas">Tejas</keyword> light combat aircraft tears into the sky over Bangalore on Friday, its sonic boom will finally herald a major milestone in the long, tortuous developmental saga of the homegrown supersonic fighter. 
 Having clocked almost 2,420 flight tests since its prototype first flew in January 2011, the lightweight multirole Tejas fighter will finally zoom past the initial operational clearance (<keyword id="6354733" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="IOC">IOC</keyword>) mark on Friday. For long wary of <keyword id="508910" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="40" keywordseo="The-Fighter">the fighter</keyword> being prematurely thrust down its throat, even the IAF will clap this time. 
 "This Tejas Mark-I is much better than a MiG-21 'Bison' on several counts, including weapon-carrying capability and range. But the fighter's full capabilities will emerge only in the Tejas Mark-II version, with a more powerful engine, radar and weapons, which is slated to be ready by December 2018," said a top <keyword id="194542" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="IAF-officer">IAF officer</keyword>. 
 But that is in the future. Friday will mark the actual IOC - which basically signifies the fighter is fully airworthy in different conditions, from extremely low temperatures of high-altitude areas to the searing heat of deserts - of the Tejas Mark-I. It will not be the specious one that the combine of Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), <keyword id="139969" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Aeronautical-Development-Agency">Aeronautical Development Agency</keyword> (ADA) and <keyword id="139970" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Hindustan-Aeronautics-Ltd">Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd</keyword> (HAL) passed off as IOC-I in January 2011. 
 
 
 
The Tejas Mark-I fighter, however, will be ready to go to battle only in 2015 once it gets the final operational clearance (FOC), after integration of all weapons and other systems to ensure it can fi re 23mm guns, rockets and BVR (beyond visual range) missiles as well as undergo air-to-air refuelling. As of now, the Tejas can let loose only close-range R-73 air-to-air missiles and air-to-ground laser and unguided bombs. 
 It's a no-brainer that India needs to have its own <keyword id="6500558" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="40" keywordseo="Indigenous">indigenous</keyword> fighter in an era where the supremacy of airpower in shaping modern-day battles is unquestioned, and foreign imports can be choked in times of emergencies. 
 But the way the LCA project has meandered over the years, since it was fi rst approved in August 1983 at a paltry cost of Rs 560 crore to replace the ageing MiG-21s, has tested everyone's patience. So much so that TOI in April 2003, just before then PM <keyword id="47100" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Atal-Bihari-Vajpayee">Atal Bihari Vajpayee</keyword> named it "Tejas", had suggested it be christened "Jet-Ayu" - 'Ayu' being the Hindi word for age, and 'Jatayu', the bird king who fought Ravana in vain to prevent him from abducting Sita. 
 
Down to just 34 fighter squadrons, IAF is of course still fl ying the obsolete MiG-21s. Due to the huge delay in the LCA project, it still has around 250 MiG-21s in its combat fleet, having further staggered their already long-delayed retirement by at least another five years. Not only has the LCA been in the making for 30 years, with deadlines being missed time and again, its overall developmental cost has also zoomed up to Rs 17,269 crore. This includes the Kaveri aero engine, sanctioned in 1989 at a cost of Rs 2,839 crore, which flopped miserably. 
 Consequently, while the first lot of Tejas will be powered by the American <keyword id="45528" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="GE">GE</keyword>-404 engines, the Mark-II ones will have the more powerful GE F-414 engines. Over and above the developmental cost, each Tejas will cost around Rs 210-250 crore. So, the induction of 160 Tejas - 120 for IAF, 40 for Navy - will cost another Rs 35,000 crore. 
 
However, defence scientists pooh-pooh all this talk of high costs. 
 "A fourth-generation-plus fighter, Tejas will still be among the cheapest fighters in its class in the world. It's not easy to develop a digital fl y-by-wire supersonic fighter from scratch, especially when India faced international sanctions for several years after the Pokhran-II nuclear tests," said a <keyword id="9662" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Scientist">scientist</keyword>. 
 Though late in coming, the Tejas is certainly critical for the IAF to meet its lightweight fighter requirements. While the heavyweight fighter category is taken care of by the Sukhoi-30MKIs, the medium range is to be met by the proposed almost $20 billion MMRCA (medium multirole combat aircraft) project to acquire 126 <keyword id="6381048" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Rafale">Rafale</keyword> fighters. 
 "The MMRCA and Tejas squadrons are very critical for us to maintain our deterrence capability. Otherwise, our force levels will go down rapidly," says <keyword id="483998" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="IAF-Chief-Air-Chief-Marshal">IAF chief Air Chief Marshal</keyword> NAK Browne.

Tejas: A Rs 50,000 crore bird for India

As it prepares to induct a <keyword id="10112494" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="second-batch-of-rafale-jets">second batch of Rafale jets</keyword>, the <keyword id="15141" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Air-Force">Indian Air Force</keyword> has sent a team of officials to France to oversee the logistical issues and review the training of a hand-picked group of pilots at the Saint-Dizier air base there, officials said on Thursday. The second batch of four <keyword id="6381048" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="rafale">Rafale</keyword> jets is expected to arrive in India in the next four weeks. The first batch of five Rafale jets arrived in India on July 29, nearly four years after India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 of these aircraft at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore. Several teams from the IAF have visited France since January to oversee the progress of the Rafale project including integration of India-specific enhancements and weapons systems, the officials said. The IAF's Rafale project management team has an office in Paris headed by a Group Captain-rank officer. The team is tasked with overseeing the production timelines as well as coordinating training of the crew. A team of experts headed by assistant chief of air staff (projects) reached France earlier this week to coordinate logistical issues as well as training of pilots and technicians, said the officials. The first batch of Rafale jets was finally inducted into the IAF on September 10. Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria on October 5 said the induction of all 36 Rafale jets will be completed by 2023. Ten Rafale jets have been delivered to India so far and five of them stayed back in France for imparting training to IAF pilots. Known for their air-superiority and precision strikes, the Rafale jets are India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in 23 year after the Sukhoi jets were imported from Russia. The newly inducted fleet has been carrying out sorties in eastern Ladakh where Indian and Chinese troops are engaged in a bitter border row for over five months. A group of IAF pilots is currently undergoing training on Rafale jets at the Saint-Dizier airbase in eastern France. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/pnb-yes-bank-central-bank-of-india-idbi-and-six-more-indian-banks-are-the-worst-performing-bank-stocks-in-asia-pacific/articleshow/78679569.cms">10 out of 15 worst-performing bank stocks in Asia-Pacific are Indian — PNB, YES Bank, Central Bank of India, IDBI among them</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/whatsapp-google-amazon-and-facebook-under-the-scanner-for-data-protection-violations-as-supreme-court-calls-on-rbi-and-npci-to-investigate/articleshow/78678174.cms">Whatsapp, Google, Amazon and Facebook under the scanner for data protection violations as Supreme Court calls on RBI and NPCI to investigate</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/chinese-president-xi-jinping-tells-marine-troops-to-be-on-high-alert-and-prepare-for-war/articleshow/78675715.cms">Chinese President Xi Jinping tells marine troops to be on ‘high alert’ and ‘prepare for war’ as tensions in the South China Sea continue to grow</a>

Indian Air Force to induct more Rafale fighter jets — team heads to France for preparations

To counter the massive construction and development on the Chinese side along the 1800 km border, India is fast equipping itself with sufficient 
 Strategic launch bases in Arunachal Pradesh for the <keyword id="15141" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Air-Force">Indian Air Force</keyword> (IAF). This strategic launch base is called an Advance Landing Ground or ALG. 
 
After activating IAF four Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) at Ziro, Along, Mechuka and Walong in Arunachal Pradesh, the IAF on August 19 th made yet another ALG-the 5th in the row in the North East region at Arunachal Pradesh itself. 
 
These ALGs act as transportation hubs during peace time and in case of contingencies like road closure, landslides, conflicts and war like situations the ALGs would act as launch bases for support of troops as well as replenishment of supplies. 
 
The ALGs got an impetus after state government and the forces witnessed massive construction and development on the Chinese side along the 1,080-km border. The area remains a bone of contention between the Indian and Chinese forces where the line of actual control acts as the de facto border. 
 The upgraded Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) at Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh was inaugurated by <keyword id="638723" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kiren-Rijiju">Kiren Rijiju</keyword>, MoS for Home Affairs in the presence of Air Marshal C Hari Kumar AVSM VM VSM, Air Officer Commanding-in-chief (AOC-in-C), Eastern Air Command on August 19. 
 
Apart from serving the strategic advantage, the ALG at Pasighat will facilitate air connectivity with rest of the country and give a huge fillip to tourism in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. 
 
A flypast by a formation of three Sukhoi-30 MKI Air Dominance Fighter aircraft, that took off from one of the forward Airbases was a highlight of the event. This was followed by a Su-30MKI also landing at the ALG. 
 
The touchdown by a frontline fighter jet of the IAF at the ALG is a 'historic first' in the predominantly hilly state of Arunachal Pradesh, which has several ALGs at varying altitudes. 
 
The new runway surface and other infrastructure built are similar to the other upgraded ALGs that have been inaugurated in the recent months. 
 Replete with facilities such as aprons for ground manouevering, <keyword id="735991" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-traffic-control-tower">Air Traffic Control Tower</keyword>, perimeter road and a security wall, the ALG will facilitate operations of fixed wing aircraft as well as helicopters of both civil and military operators. 
 
The ALG at Pasighat was taken over by the IAF in February 2010. Previously, it was small strip that was partly paved, partly grassy, and reinforced with perforated steel plates. It was utilized in the past for air maintenance sorties and casualty evacuation by the IAF. Commercial helicopter operations were also being undertaken from the helipads that existed earlier. 
 The <keyword id="54875" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Airports-Authority-of-India">Airports Authority of India</keyword> (AAI) is also the process of setting up a civil terminal, the construction of which has yet to commence. Now the need of the hour is for all agencies to get together and make it happen. 
 It may be recalled that following a MoU between Government of Arunachal Pradesh and <keyword id="6369097" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ministry-of-Defence">Ministry of Defence</keyword> in June 2009, the IAF had embarked on an ambitious reconstruction plan to upgrade eight ALGs, including infrastructure development at an overall outlay of nearly Rs. 1,000 Crore. 
 
Two ALGs at Tuting and Tawang are expected to be ready by the year end, while the ALG at Vijaynagar would undertake for reconstruction as soon as the road connectivity between Miao and Vijaynagar is restored.

Countering China:
India readies the 5th ALG for IAF at Pasighat in Arunachal
Pradesh

The <keyword id="15141" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-Air-Force">Indian Air Force</keyword> has added some new weapons to its armoury, but unlike the usual hypersonic cruise missiles or the bunker-bursting 'smart' bombs, this time, the new weapons are in the form of harmless looking tablets called 'Go/No-Go' pills. 
 Worry not, these pills are "authorised", and <keyword id="6355075" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="IAF">IAF</keyword> personnel are using them to boost alertness levels and cognitive powers, along with fighting fatigue and sleep deprivation during round-the-clock combat exercises. 
 
The 'Go' pill is Modafinil, which is famous in military aviation circles around the world for increasing alertness and managing fatigue. 
The 'No-Go' pill, on the other hand, is Zolpidem, which is a sedative used to treat insomnia. 
 
These pills have been in use for the last three to four years, earlier expansively used in the high-voltage 'Livewire' exercise, which was conducted by IAF from October 31 to November 8, and saw the activation of all its 54 airbases based in India. 
 
Livewire was designed to test both offensive and defensive capabilities of the personnel, for a two-front war contingency in which swing forces were rapidly moved from the western theatre to the eastern one, and vice-versa. 
 
The users of these pills range from pilots of fighter planes and helicopters to air traffic controllers, and the pills are allowed to be used only after extensive clinical trials, a senior IAF officer told ET. 
 
"The field trials and studies were conducted by our doctors to validate pharmacological strategies for sleep and alertness management for aircrews in extended operations." 
 
It was established both Modafinil and Zolpidem would help to optimise our personnel's performance in a sustained operational scenario," he said. 
 
Once the Go pill is taken, and the adrenaline rush of a combat sortie has happened, a fighter pilot would need to sleep well sp that he remains sharp and focused for the next mission, which is why the No-Go pill is used. 
 
A pilot who is sleep deprived will not only suffer from lower performance levels but would also have poor judgment and reaction time, proving to be deadly. 
 
The next obvious question is, of course, if the use of these pills leads to addiction or leaves undesired impacts on one’s health. The answer however is no, because one, the pills are not taken everyday and are allowed only for specific missions and that too under strict supervision. The pills were not known to have any noticeable side-effects on trials. 
 
<a href="http://s96.photobucket.com/user/rajesh_s/media/yyyyyyy.jpg.html">Image source</a>

Go or No-Go? "Authorised" pills helping Indian Air Force pilots gain the edge

<keyword id="15141" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Air-Force">Indian Air Force</keyword> (IAF) got the first squadron of ‘Made in India’ fighter jets ‘<keyword id="6376012" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Tejas">Tejas</keyword>’, now named 'Flying Daggers 45'. 
 
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) handed over two Tejas aircrafts, which were inducted in Bengaluru, and seven more will be added by 2017 to become fully operational. 
 
All squadrons of Tejas will be made up of 20 planes in total, including four in reserve. 
 
These Light Combat Aircrafts (LCA) entered Air Force 33 years after the project was conceived, giving a major boost to Indian defence aviation system. 
 
Tejas will eventually replace the ageing fleet of MiG-21 planes. 
 
Here are the other details about Tejas that you should not miss 
 1. The name Tejas, which means radiance, was given by former Indian Prime Minister <keyword id="47100" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Atal-Bihari-Vajpayee">Atal Bihari Vajpayee</keyword>. 
 
2. The first Commanding Offier of the ‘Flying Daggers 45’ will be Group Captain M Rangachari. He will have seven officers under him 
initially, 42 air warriors and about 20 non-commissioned officers. 
 
3. IAF's squadron number 45, 'Flying Daggers', has to its credit the shooting down of a Pakistani naval surveillance aircraft in 1999, some 300 km northeast of Karachi, killing all 16 people on board. 
 
4. Tejas is far superior to Pakistan's JF-17 built jointly with China. 
 
5. While the idea to have an indigenous fighter aircraft was conceptualised in 1970s, actual work started on the aircraft only in the 1980s and the first flight took place in January 2001. 
 
6. It is pegged as the world's smallest and lightest supersonic fighter, a project which was started in 1983 with Rs 560 crore funds. Now, the total cost stands at around Rs 55,000 crore. 
 
7. The upgraded version of Tejas, with Active Electrically Scanned Array Radar, Unified Electronic Warfare Suite, mid-air refuelling capacity and advanced beyond the vision range missiles, will cost between Rs 275 crore and Rs 300 crore. 
 
8. Due to its small size and the extensive usage of carbon composits, Tejas’ radar cross section is very less compared to other aircrafts like MiG-29, F-16. 
 
9. Tejas will have a reach of at least 400-km and will mostly be used for close air-to-ground operations. For any strikes which happen deep into enemy territory will have to be undertaken by Russian-origin Sukhoi-30MKIs or the Rafales. 
 
10. IAF plans to induct over 80 aircraft with better specifications known as Tejas 1A. 
 
(Image: Reuters)

10 things you should definitely know about the brand new ‘Made in India’ fighter jet ‘Tejas’

As expected, the twin-jet Rafale combat aircraft would be delivered to the Indian Air Force by July end, <keyword id="9484671" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="top-defence-officials">top defence officials</keyword> said, adding that France, at the very beginning of the <keyword id="8829783" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus-pandemic">coronavirus pandemic</keyword>, informed India of this delivery date. "French company Dassault Aviation is expected to deliver the much awaited twin-jet combat aircraft Rafale by July end," a senior IAF officer said. "It would inform us of the delivery date and also if there would be any delay. As of today, everyone is expecting that it would be delivered as told by the French company," he added. Asked about reports of July 27 as delivery date, the IAF officer said: "We are not aware." A Defence Ministry official had a similar response. On June 2, France had reaffirmed its commitment to ensure timely delivery of Rafale aircraft despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. The expected date of delivery is July end. France's reaffirmation came when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had a telephonic conversation with French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly. They discussed matters of mutual concern including the Covid-19 situation, regional security and agreed to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation. Both ministers appreciated the efforts made by armed forces of India and France in fighting the pandemic. The Indian Defence Ministry had then said that France had reaffirmed its commitment to ensure timely delivery of Rafale aircraft despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. On October 8, 2019, Rajnath Singh flew a sortie of the inducted Rafale aircraft in France. "The new Rafale Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) will make India stronger and will give a boost to its air dominance exponentially to ensure peace and security in the region," the minister had said during his address at the Rafale handing over ceremony at France's Merignac. Some of the major contracts related to procurement and supply of defence equipment signed with foreign countries since 2013-14 include the joint venture for manufacturing of AK-203 rifles, agreement for manufacturing of spares, components, etc required for Russian/Soviet origin platforms and defence equipment, manufacture of Ka-226T helicopters, supply of S-400 long range surface to air missile system, the Rafale fighter jets, the M777 ultra-light howitzer, and the C-17 aircraft. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/british-energy-group-bp-sells-its-petrochemicals-business-to-rival-ineos-for-5-billion-dollar/articleshow/76688557.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">BP sells its petrochemicals business to rival INEOS for $5 billion — meets its divestments target ahead of schedule</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/pakistan-stock-exchange-attack-kills-six/articleshow/76684754.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Gun and grenade attack at Pakistan Stock Exchange kills six</a>

France to deliver the twin-jet Rafale combat aircraft by July end

<ul><li>The jets took off from the Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux on Monday and will arrive here after covering a distance of 7,000 km with air-to-air refuelling and a single stop in the United Arab Emirates.</li><li>The fleet of five jets comprises three single-seater and two twin-seater aircraft. </li><li>Authorities have imposed prohibitory orders near the <keyword id="6338781" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="ambala-air-force-station">Ambala Air Force Station</keyword>, banning shooting of videos and photography. </li></ul> The first batch of five Rafale jets are scheduled to land at the Ambala air base here on Wednesday afternoon with police tightening the security around the air force station. The squadron of Rafale jets will be stationed at the Ambala air base in Haryana. The jets took off from the Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux on Monday and will arrive here after covering a distance of 7,000 km with air-to-air refuelling and a single stop in the United Arab Emirates. The fleet of five jets comprises three single-seater and two twin-seater aircraft. Authorities have imposed prohibitory orders near the Ambala Air Force Station, banning shooting of videos and photography. The Ambala district administration has also prohibited people from flying private drones within the three-km radius of the air base, officials said earlier. Section 144, which prohibits assembly of four or more people, has been imposed in the villages adjoining the air base, including Dhulkot, Baldev Nagar, Garnala and Panjkhora. Ambala deputy commissioner Ashok Kumar Sharma said shooting of videos or taking photographs of the boundary wall of the air base and its adjoining areas will remain strictly prohibited during the imposition of the prohibitory orders. Meanwhile, the Haryana Police has set up several check barricades and police officers were seen patrolling residential localities near the air base, making announcements over loudspeakers warning people not to stand on the rooftop of their houses to click pictures or shoot videos. Violators would face punishment as per the law, they warned. At many places here, hoardings have been erected to welcome the arrival of the fighter jets with some of these mentioning that their induction will further boost <keyword id="6355075" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="IAF">IAF</keyword>'s capabilities. Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Wednesday said the people of Ambala are very enthusiastic about the arrival of the jets. "This is a very proud and a historic moment for us that the Rafale jets will be stationed in Ambala Cantonment area. Rafales are IAF's 'Sikandar', which will significantly boost our combat capabilities," he said. He said had there not been the threat of coronavirus pandemic, thousands would have gathered in the streets to welcome the jets. Nearly four years ago, India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to purchase 36 Rafale jets under a Rs 59,000-crore deal to boost the IAF's combat capabilities. The five Rafales are scheduled to be inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday, though a formal induction ceremony would be held later. The jets will be inducted into the IAF as part of its No 17 Squadron, also known as the 'Golden Arrows'. The aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile and Scalp cruise missile will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets. Of the 36 jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets. The IAF has undertaken major infrastructure upgrades at the Ambala base for the deployment of the first Rafale squadron. Built in 1948, the air base is located on the east side of Ambala and is used for military and government flights. The air base has two squadrons of the Jaguar combat aircraft and one squadron of the MIG-21 'Bison'. Air Force Marshal Arjan Singh was the first commander of the base. The Mirage fighters that were used for the air strike in Balakot in Pakistan in February 2019 after the Pulwama terror attack had taken off from here. 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Five Rafale jets to land in Ambala today

In a major boost to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=indian+air+force&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Indian Air Force</a>, indigenously built Light Combat Aircraft (LCA),‘<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=tejas&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Tejas’</a>, was inducted today at an event in Bengaluru. 
 
State-run <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=HAL&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Hindustan Aeronautics Limited</a> (HAL) handed over the first two ‘Made in India’ Tejas aircraft to the <keyword id="15141" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Air-Force">Indian Air Force</keyword> (IAF), which will make up the 'Flying Daggers' 45, the name of the first squadron of the LCA. 
 
The induction ceremony started early morning at the Aircraft System Testing Establishment in the presence of Air Marshal Jasbir Walia, Air Officer Commanding-in Chief, Southern Air Command. 
 
The squadron will be based in Bengaluru for the first two years before being moved to Sulur in Tamil Nadu. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=arup+raha&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha</a>, who on May 17 took his in Tejas, had termed the aircraft as fit to be inducted. 
 
Stating that LCA squadron should be formed by July, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=manohar+parrikar&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar</a> had earlier this month said, "Next year I think two MiG-21 squadrons are being decommissioned; this will go into initially replacing them." 
 
LCAs are better than the MiGs which are old and their parts are difficult to get, he had said. 
 
All squadrons of Tejas will have 20 planes in total, including four in reserve. 
 
As per the plan, while 20 would be inducted under the "Initial Operational Clearance", another 20 will be inducted later with Beyond Visual Range Missile (BVR) and some other features. 
 
IAF plans to induct over 80 aircraft with better specifications known as Tejas 1A.

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