2 upgraded Mirage 2000 handed over to India in France

KOLKATA: The acceptance ceremony of the first two Indian Air Force (IAF) Mirage 2000 I/TI was held at Istres, Dassault Aviation's Flight Test Centre on Wednesday. Among those present were Arun K Singh, ambassador of India to France, Eric Trappier, chairman and CEO, Dassault Aviation and Pierre Eric Pommellet, executive vice president (defence mission systems), Thales.

Signing of the contract for upgrade of the IAF's Mirage 2000 fleet took place in July, 2011. The maiden flight of the first upgraded aircraft was completed successfully by Dassault Aviation on October 5, 2013. The equipment kit for the upgrade was provided by Thales and comprised radar, electronic warfare suite and mission computer.

"Today's ceremony highlights the excellent understanding between the Indian and French partners. India is Dassault Aviation's first export client and the historical relationship we developed with IAF spans 60 years. The Rafale has been chosen by India after a comprehensive selection process and exclusive negotiations are underway. The Rafale is the next logical step. Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd and other Indian companies will contribute to the 'Make in India' policy by developing and manufacturing the aircraft locally," Trappier said.

According to Pommellet, Thales has been operating in India since 1953 and employs 300 people across the country. "We are trusted partners of the Indian armed forces and have developed a strong local supply chain which helped us make the upgrade of the Mirage 2000 a true success. We hope to continue developing this teamwork in the future," he said.

The rest of IAF's Mirage 2000 aircraft will be upgraded in Bengaluru under the supervision of HAL with support from Dassault and Thales.