Newly-inducted Rafale jets to participate in Republic Day parade for first time

Two newly inducted Rafale fighter jets will feature in India's Republic Day parade on January 26 this year and will be part of the flypast at the culmination of the parade in Delhi. This is the first time that these fighter jets will be part of the flypast.

Some formations will be seen for the first time on the Rajpath. The formations that will be seen during the parade include 'Rudra', 'Sudharshan', 'Rakshak', 'Eklavya' and 'Brahmastra'.

The jets will be part of two different formations. The name of the mixed formation in which the first Rafale will take part is Eklavya. Interestingly, the name of the last formation that will see a single Rafale is 'Brahmastra', which means weapons that can destroy everything.

Speaking to WION, Indian Air Force spokesperson, Wing Commander Indranil Nandi PRO said, "There will be a mixed formation. Single rafale, flanked by 2 Jaguar and 2 MiG 29. And single Rafale will carry out Vertical Charlie."

Vertical Charlie is a maneuver in which fighter jets fly at a low height, and pitch vertically, followed by a succession of roles before stabilizing. In all, 38 IAF aircraft and four planes of the Indian Army will participate in the flypast on Republic Day.

The spokesperson said that the flypast will be divided into two blocks. The first is planned along with the parade from 1004 hours to 1020 hours and the second after the parade from 1120 hours to 1145 hours.

Wing Commander Vasudev Ahuja said the IAF's marching contingent at the parade will consist of four officers and 96 soldiers marching in a box formation of 12 rows and eight columns.

India had inducted the fighter jets in two batches last year amid fanfare. Under the 2016 agreement worth Rs 59,000 crores, India will get 36 Rafales. The first five Rafales were inducted at Ambala airbase on September 10 in the presence of French defense minister Florence Parly and Indian defense minister Rajnath Singh.