IAF flying contingent departs for France to participate in Bastille Day celebrations

New Delhi [India], July 7 : An Indian Air Force (IAF) flying contingent on Friday departed for France to participate in the Bastille Day Flypast celebrations.

The IAF contingent includes four Rafale fighters, two C-17 Globemasters and 72 IAF personnel, as per a release issued by the Ministry of Defence.

The flypast and marching by the IAF air warriors on Bastille Day follow a long association that the two nations share, especially in the field of air power.

Many Indians like Welinkar, Shivdev Singh, HC Dewan and Jumbo Majumdar fought over the skies of France during the two World Wars.

Some, like Jumbo Majumdar, were also decorated for their gallant action, over the Falaise Gap, during the terminal phase of World War II, as per the official release.

The IAF has also operated multiple French aircraft starting with the Ouragan. This was followed by fighter aircraft like Breguet Alize, Mystere IVA, SEPECAT Jaguar, Mirage 2000 and now, the Rafale.

Helicopters like the Alouette-III and Lama continue to render yeoman services to India, especially in the remote Himalayan areas. The IAF's marching contingent is commanded by Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy, who is an accomplished helicopter pilot. She has also extensively flown the Alouette-III helicopter in her service, as per the official release.

The professional ties between the two Air Forces have also been strengthened during flying exercises like Ex Desert Knight, Garuda and Orion. The IAF's Rafale aircraft, flying wings to wings with the FASF, is reflective of this strategic friendship spanning decades that continues to mature, both, on ground, as well as in air.

Meanwhile, the tri-services contingent of the Indian Armed Forces marching alongside their French counterparts left for France on Thursday.

The parade will witness a 269-member tri-services contingent of the Indian Armed Forces marching alongside their French counterparts, the Ministry of Defence said.

The Fete Nationale Francaise is celebrated on July 15 or the National Day in France. It is also known as Bastille Day as this day is the anniversary of the Storming of the Bastille in 1789 during the French Revolution. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited as the Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Parade in France.

The Ministry further stated that the association of the Indian and the French Armies dates back to World War 1. Over 1.3 million Indian soldiers participated in the war and almost 74,000 of them fought in the muddy trenches to never return again, while another 67,000 were wounded. Indian troops valiantly fought on French soil also.