The aircraft will be taking off from different airbases across the country to showcase India's power might at the Hindon base on the occasion of Air Force Day

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is conducting a full dress rehearsal ahead of the 87th Air Force Day to be celebrated on October 8 at Hindon Air Force Station.

One of the main attractions at the Air Force Day this year will be the display of two powerful and technologically advanced heavy-lift helicopters — Chinook and Apache.

Both these choppers have been recently inducted into the Indian Air Force.

In total, there will be 54 aircraft that will participate in the Air Force Day celebrations at the Hindon Air Force station.

Out of the 54 aircraft which will be at display during the Air Force Day celebrations, 19 will be fighter jets, seven transport aircraft, and 20 choppers. These aircraft will be taking off from different airbases across the country to showcase India's power might at the Hindon base on the occasion of Air Force Day. More than a dozen planes have been put on stand by also.

Apache, Chinook, Mirage-2000 Jets, Others Will Be At Display

While Apache and Chinook choppers will be performing the flying past, Mirage 2000 jets, which were used by IAF to target JeM terror camp in Pakistan's Balakot, will also showcase its capabilities. 

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be in France to receive the first Rafale fighter jet. He will be meeting French President Emmanuel Macron on October 8 in Paris before receiving the first of the 36 Rafale fighter jets manufactured for India.

Singh is likely to fly a sortie of the Indian Rafale aircraft in France on the same day.

On October 9, the Defence Minister is scheduled to hold talks with the top defence brass of the French government. He will be accompanied by newly-appointed Vice Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal HS Arora.

Singh will reach Paris on October 7 evening. He had recently flown in the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas in Bangalore.

Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria during a press conference mentioned that the first Rafale fighter jets will be seen in Indian skies only by the end of May 2020.

In September 2016, India signed a deal with the French government and Dassault Aviation to acquire 36 Rafale fighter jets for over 7.8 billion Euros.