NEW DELHI: The first five Rafale fighter jets bought from France in a multi-billion-dollar deal landed in India on Wednesday (Jul 29) and the defence minister used their arrival to launch a veiled warning to neighbouring China over territorial tensions.
A water-cannon guard of honour greeted the five jets when they landed at the Ambala airbase in Haryana state. An intense nationwide spotlight on the combat jets has been sharpened by a deadly border standoff with China.
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India has bought 36 Rafale fighters from France in a deal estimated to be worth US$9.4 billion. All are scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2021.
READ: First French fighter jets head to India after purchase
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the combat jets' arrival marked "the beginning of a new era in our military history".
The jets will make the Indian Air Force "much stronger to deter any threat that may be posed on our country", he added in a series of tweets.
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He did not directly name China but media and observers said his comments were clearly aimed at the neighbouring giant.
"If it is anyone who should be worried about or critical about this new capability of the Indian Air Force, it should be those who want to threaten our territorial integrity," Singh declared.
Indian and Chinese forces have been in a six-week-long standoff on their Himalayan border since a hand-to-hand battle in which 20 Indian troops were killed. China also suffered casualties in the showdown but has not given figures.
The two sides blame each other for the clash in the Ladakh region and have since moved thousands of troops there while pursuing talks that they say aim to ease the tensions.
READ: China, India set for more talks to de-escalate Himalayan standoff
India acknowledges it is behind China and other key nations in military firepower, and the purchase of the Rafale jets is one of many made in a bid to bolster its 1.4 million-strong army.
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