In March last year, three Rafale multi-role fighters flying from Dassault Aviation's manufacturing base in France to join the Indian Air Force fleet were provided mid-air refuelling by an Airbus tanker owned by the United Arab Emirates Air Force.
When the Indians asked the UAE to invoice them for the service rendered, they were pleasantly surprised at the response: No charge. If we cannot do this small favour for you, what good is our special relationship?
Already a subscriber? Log in
Read the full story and more at $9.90/month
Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month
ST One Digital
$9.90/month
No contract
ST app access on 1 mobile device
Unlock these benefits
All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com
Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device
E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you
