MIG-21 to Rafale: Key additions to India's air prowess over the years

India has acquired some of the key fighter jet acquisitions over the years and the combat capabilities they possess that made India's airmen a force to reckon with

From opting for the Russian Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau-made MiG 21 in 1961 to receiving the first batch of five French-manufactured Rafale multi-role combat jets on Wednesday, India has come a long way in boosting its air-strike prowess.

Some of the key fighter jet acquisitions over the years and the combat capabilities they possess that made India's airmen a force to reckon with are:

Rafale jets:

India on Wednesday received its first batch of new multirole combat fighter aircraft in nearly two decades with the arrival of five Rafale jets, giving the country's air power a strategic edge.

The NDA government