New Delhi, September 21: While the political fight between BJP and Congress over the Rs 59,000 crore-worth Rafale deal has intensified, but the Indian Air Force (IAF) is going ahead with its preparations to induct the 36 Rafale fighters. On Thursday, Deputy Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Raghunath 'Nambi' Nambiar test-flew the first Rafale fighter jet manufactured for India by Dassault Aviation in France. What is Rafale Deal? All You Need To Know About French Fighter Jets Which Has Pitted Congress, BJP At Loggerheads.

Nambi is well known as being among first test pilots on the LCA Tejas program and flying precision strikes on Tiger Hill during the 1999 Kargil conflict.

According to information available on LiveFistDefence, the IAF Deputy Chief completed a front-seat sortie in a Rafale at the Istres air base in France. In the midst of allegations from Congress, the IAF has been defending the Rafale jet. As quoted in a Zee News report, Nambi said, "The Rafale gives us full spectrum capabilities to a large extent and would revolutionise airpower in our sub-continent having capabilities which do not exist."

Congress has accused the BJP of inking the deal at a higher price in comparison with the one that the UPA government had negotiated at. It has also blamed the Narendra Modi government of favouring Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence as the “offset partner” with Dassault Rafale, instead of the defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). BJP from the beginning had refuted all the allegations and has highlighted that it had struck a better deal in comparison with the UPA government.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 21, 2018 09:22 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).