French Ambassador to India Alexandre Ziegler Friday said the first Rafale fighter aircraft will be delivered within two months and it will be "perfectly on time".
The senior diplomat told PTI on the sidelines of a function here that all 36 Rafale jets will be delivered to the Indian Air Force within the next two years.
Calling it an excellent aircraft, he said it would add a lot to the capacity of the Indian Air Force.
"The first Rafale will be delivered to the Indian Air Force (IAF) in two months from now, I think in September, perfectly on time. Thirty six will come within the next two years," Ziegler said.
Hailing the partnership between the two nations, he said, "Look at the track record we have developed in cooperation with India in the past 50 years. The IAF has been flying with French technology, and Indo-French technology, because there is large amount of technology that we have co- developed."
On the fighter jet, the French Ambassador said, "Rafale has been an excellent aircraft. It being chosen by India, we feel honoured, we feel privileged. I think it will add a lot to the capacity of the Indian Air Force."
Asked about the controversy in India over the purchase of the Rafale aircraft, he said, "I am not interested in controversy. I am interested in results, and in the facts, and the facts are that the first Rafale is coming in within next two months, and I am proud of that."
In reply to a question on Indo-French partnership, Ziegler said, "We have an exceptional partnership with India. It's a strategic partnership; it's based on security issues, on defence, on space cooperation, on all these important matters."