The expenditure incurred for the induction ceremony of Rafale jets into the Indian Air Force (IAF) at Ambala last September was ₹41.32 lakh including Goods and Services Tax (GST) of ₹9.18 lakh, the government informed Parliament on Monday.
“All new aircraft types in IAF are traditionally inducted through a befitting ceremony ... The arrangements for this event were made mostly through local resources of IAF,” the Defence Ministry said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.
The first five Rafale jets of the IAF were formally inducted into service on September 10 last year. India has contracted 36 Rafale jets in fly away condition under a €7.87 bn Inter Governmental Agreement with France in 2016.
