Air Force Chief RKS Bhadauria recently flew India's indigenous attack gunship the LCH

Chief of Air Staff RKS Bhadauria also said that India has initiated its fifth-generation fighter aircraft program with the DRDO under AMCA project

Indian Air Force (IAF) chief RKS Bhadauria said on Saturday that eight Rafale aircrafts have already arrived in India and another three are expected by the end of January. The Air Chief Marshal made the statement while addressing the press during the exercise Desert Knight-2021.

"More Rafales are there with us in France for training. The induction would be completed by 2023," IAF chief Bhadauria said.

Asked about the Chinese opting for an aggressive stance in eastern Ladakh, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said, "If they [China] can be aggressive, we can also be aggressive."

"Rafale is a serious contender for our project to buy 114 multirole fighter aircraft," he went on to add.

Chief of Air Staff RKS Bhadauria also said that India has initiated its fifth-generation fighter aircraft programme with the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) under Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) aircraft project. "We would like to add sixth-generation capabilities in that but we would like to first focus on the fifth-generation fighter aircraft," he added.

The Indian Air Force kickstarted the five-day mega exercise 'Desert Knight-21' in Rajasthan's Jodhpur on Wednesday. This drill involving recently-acquired French Rafale fighter jets comes at a time when Indian and Chinese troops are engaged in a military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

According to official statements, the French air force is participating in 'Desert Knight-21' with its Rafale aircraft, A-400M Tactical Transport aircraft, an Airbus A-330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) and as many as 175 personnel.