In an interesting statement, Russian Ambassador to India Alexander M Kadakin has said that if India were to go to war with China or Pakistan, the French Rafale fighters that it plans to buy will be ‘swatted like mosquitos’. He argued that the Chinese fighters were much superior than the Rafale fighters and India would be no match with them in the battle ground.
Kadakin’s terse comments come in the backdrop of the Russian-made MiG-35 losing out to French-made Rafale fighter jets for the big-ticket Indian Air Force purchase. The IAF had selected Rafale after also evaluating US made F-16’s and F-18, Swedish made SAAB Gripin and MiG-35. The $ 23 billion Rafale purchase is seen as one of the largest Defence purchases by India in the recent years.
“I don’t understand why you are buying (Rafale). We are surprised that is being bought... If India were to go to war with China or Pakistan the French Rafale Fighters will be swatted like mosquitos in an August night,” Kadakin said during an interaction with mediapersons at the Press Club of India.
Kadakin claimed that the Sukhoi -27, which is being supplied to Chinese Peoples liberation Army by Russia is far more superior in terms of capability and technological advancement compared to Rafale. The IAF currently has deployed about 170 Sukhoi-30 MKi, which are considered to be more advanced version of Su-27. India plans to get about 102 more Su-30s over three years to replenish its depleting fighters.
Kadakin questioned India's ventures with the United States of America and Israel while arguing that Russia has shared critical technology with India which no other country is willing to share. He pointed out that India and Russia have always enjoyed special relationship and that Russia helped India with INS Vikramaditya when “no country,” was willing to give India an aircraft carrier. “USA has not even driven nail in the nuclear power plant that it is supposed to build in India, whereas Russia has already started building the second unit in Kundankulam,” Kadakin added.