Top military brass of France as well as senior officials of Dassault Aviation, the makers of Rafale, will also be present at the handing over ceremony

Sources said a high-level team of the Indian Air Force is already in Paris to coordinate with the French officials on the handing over ceremony

Once the Su-30MKI and the Rafale start operating together, it will be a potent combination against our adversaries, be it Pakistan or anybody else, said Air Force Vice-Chief Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria

The project for 56 medium transport aircraft by the Tata-Airbus consortium is ready to be initiated this year while the other mega project for 114 fighter jets will take some years to take off.

The Indian Air Force contingent comprises of 120 air-warriors and four Sukhoi 30 MKI along with an IL-78 flight refuelling aircraft

Instead of splurging tens of thousands of crores of rupees on an unproven foreign fighter, India would be better off investing that amount in its indigenous stealth fighter programme - the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft.