Next week, India will receive a new batch of French-made Rafale fighters as part of an ongoing contract. Another batch of combat aircraft will be delivered in April. This will expand the number of Rafale fighters on the Indian Air Force's balance sheet to 14 units.

Currently, the main airfield for the Rafale in India is the Ambala Air Force Base, located in the northern part of the country.

The Indian command notes that the Air Force is going to increase the number of modern fighters in strategic areas, including in areas bordering Pakistan and China.

The Indian media said at the same time that the Rafale fighters "will be a great option to counter the J-20 aircraft from the PRC."

As a reminder, China is classifying its J-20s as next-generation fighters.

The statements by Indian observers and officers were followed by a reaction in the Chinese media. So, the information portal Sina Military in the military-thematic section says the following:

The claim that the Rafale are capable of competing on an equal footing with the J-20 fighters is not subject to criticism. These are aircraft from completely different "weight categories". If the J-20 is classified as a heavy fighter, then the Rafale barely goes beyond light fighters.

Even the West, including the United States, understands this.

The Chinese edition writes that India is misleading itself, talking about the comparability of Rafale and J-20.

It is important to emphasize that India is buying Rafale fighters from France at a great price. Together with training of pilots and all weapons, one such combat aircraft costs about $ 217 million.