Rafale fighters quietly flew into India amid uproar over alleged scam
New Delhi, Sep 5 : Three Rafale jets quietly flew into India for a three-day halt at military bases in a low-key military diplomatic affair, apparently due to the political storm raging over alleged irregularities in the purchase of the fighter aircraft from a French firm.
The three Rafale jets flown by the French Air Force (FAF) pilots were returning from Exercise Pitch Black 2018 at Darwin in Australia, in which 16 nations from across the globe, including the Indian Air Force, had taken part.
The Rafale fighter aircraft and transport aircraft staged through Air Force Station, Gwalior, and Air Force Station, Agra, from September 1-4, an IAF spokesperson said.
The French jets took off on Tuesday evening from Gwalior. The Maharajpur airbase in Gwalior is home to two Mirage 2000 squadrons. Both the Mirage and Rafale are manufactured by the same French maker - Dassault Aviation.
"During the staging period, FAF and IAF carried out basic joint training, which included fighter sorties by pilots in their respective aircraft with observers onboard each other's transport aircraft supporting the missions.
"This interaction with FAF provided a unique opportunity for exchange of experience and sharing of best practices during cooperative deployment," the spokesperson said.
During the military drill in Australia, it is believed that Indian Su-30 fighter pilots flew in the same three Rafales.
Though a picture of one of the three jets in India had emerged on the social media on Tuesday, the official announcement regarding their stay was only made a day after their departure.
Usually, such military diplomatic events are widely publicized.
Apparently, the halt of Rafale jets was not announced in advance because of the allegations of massive irregularities in the Rafale deal. The Congress has maintained that the Modi government was procuring each aircraft at a cost higher than the rate finalised by the UPA government.
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TN polls: TVK pushes DMK behind with leads in 83 seats, AIADMK ahead in 54
Chennai (PTI): New entrant TVK, led by actor-politician Vijay, was leading in as many as 83 constituencies on Monday when counting of votes polled in the April 23 Assembly polls was on across Tamil Nadu. The AIADMK was leading in 58 seats while the ruling DMK was ahead in 34, EC data showed.
About two hours after the postal ballots were counted and EVMs opened for multi-round counting, Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam surged ahead of its Dravidian rivals-- the DMK and the AIADMK, with the ruling party struggling to catch up.
If the trends maintain, Vijay could as well ensure the biggest electoral upset, something in lines with the "1967,1977" wins he had referred to in his campaign speeches.
While the Dravidian stalwart CN Annadurai brought the first non-Congress government in Tamil Nadu post-independence in 1967, the charismatic MG Ramachandran (MGR) installed the maiden AIADMK government 10 years later, unseating then DMK government under M Karunanidhi. TVK was leading in most Chennai segments, all considered DMK strongholds and currently represented by the party in the 234-member House.
A poor show by DMK could belie most exit polls giving an edge to it, riding on the number of populist measures Chief Minister M K Stalin had implemented in his five year "Dravidian model," inclusive governance.
According to EC and TV reports, 15 cabinet ministers, including Stalin were trailing. His son and deputy CM Udhayanidhi was also behind in his incumbent Chepauk-Tirvuvallikeni seat, according to a number of reports.
Stalin was trailing behind TVK's VS Babu by 1234 votes in Kolathur segment. Vijay was ahead in Tiruchirappalli East by over 3,000 votes at the end of two rounds of counting, according to EC data.
BJP is trailing in 26 constituencies and it is ahead in Thali segment alone. TVK is ahead in constituencies including Ponneri, Tiruvallur, Poonamalle, and Avadi.
AIADMK is leading in segments including Katpadi, and Guidyattam and party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami is ahead in Edappadi segment by 7003 votes.
DMK was leading in segments including Vellore, Anaikattu and Rishivandiyam.
