Hilal Ahmad Rather (right, in uniform) along with Indian ambassador to France Jawed Ashraf
NEW DELHI: When India’s first batch of five Rafale fighter aircraft took off from France’s Bordeaux-Merignac facility for India on Monday, it would have come as a “personal triumph” to Air Commodore Hilal Ahmad Rather.
Presently India’s Air Attache in France, the native of Anantnag in Kashmir has played a key role in ensuring delivery of Rafale jets to the country. Rather, son of a retired DSP, spent all of last year weaponizing the combat aircraft to suit Indian conditions. He is credited with helping the project management team add 13 fresh capabilities to the Indian version of the jet.
With the jets due to land in India on Wednesday, the 52-year-old — who also supervised refuelling training of