Rafale fighters quietly flew into India amid uproar over alleged scam

Three Rafale fighter jets of the French Air Force made a quiet three-day stop at Indian military bases earlier this month, in what appeared to be a low-profile military engagement amid the ongoing political controversy surrounding India's purchase of the French-made aircraft.

The three Rafale jets, flown by French Air Force pilots, were returning from Exercise Pitch Black 2018 in Darwin, Australia. The multinational exercise involved 16 countries, including India, and provided an opportunity for participating air forces to conduct joint combat training.

According to an Indian Air Force spokesperson, the French aircraft staged through Air Force Station Gwalior and Air Force Station Agra between September 1 and 4 before continuing their journey.

The jets departed from Gwalior on Tuesday evening. The Maharajpur airbase in Gwalior is home to two squadrons of India's Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft. Both the Mirage 2000 and Rafale are manufactured by French aerospace major Dassault Aviation.

During their stay, French and Indian pilots conducted basic joint training, including fighter sorties. Observers also travelled aboard each other's transport aircraft supporting the missions.

The IAF said the interaction provided an opportunity for the two sides to exchange operational experience and share best practices during a cooperative deployment.

The three Rafales had also reportedly operated alongside Indian Su-30 fighter jets during Exercise Pitch Black in Australia, giving Indian pilots an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the French aircraft in a multinational exercise environment.

Although photographs of one of the Rafale jets in India appeared on social media on Tuesday, the IAF's official announcement about the aircraft's visit came only after the jets had departed.

Such military visits are generally publicised in advance, making the low-key nature of the Rafale deployment notable. The timing came amid an intense political debate in India over the Rafale procurement agreement between the Indian government and France.

The Congress has alleged irregularities in the deal and has repeatedly questioned the price at which the Narendra Modi government agreed to purchase the aircraft, claiming that the per-aircraft cost was higher than the price negotiated during the previous UPA government.

The government has rejected the allegations and defended the procurement process.

The visit itself, however, was part of routine military cooperation and training between India and France, with the Rafale deployment providing another opportunity for the two air forces to operate together.