While the fate of the pilot could not be immediately ascertained, there was no loss of life or property on the ground as the plane crashed in a field outside the village.
"The meeting demonstrated the depth of India-France bilateral partnership, especially in the defence sector, that has significantly strengthened in recent times. Both leaders resolved to take the relationship to the next higher level," said a statement issued by the ministry after the 35-minute meeting.
Addressing the parade, Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi said the IAF had transformed from a small and tactical force into a strategic power to reckon with.
The Indian Air Force celebrated its 82nd Air Force Day at the Hindon base on Wednesday.
The first batch of JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft were expected to be introduced into the air force in 2006, and the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) will begin serial production of the aircraft from March 2007.
'We spent Rs 59,000 crore on acquiring 36 Rafales and we do not know if we will ever use them. The chances are that we never will,' argues Aakar Patel.
The Pakistan Navy claimed in Islamabad that it used specialised skills to ward off the Indian submarine from entering Pakistani waters.
The IAF faces a 'fighter gap' of 13 squadrons. The IAF would be caught seriously short in a two-front war -- the worst-case planning contingency in which China and Pakistan attack India simultaneously, points out Ajai Shukla.
India is now the only power in Asia after China to deploy such a capability.
The Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, also cleared the induction of nine offshore patrol vessels for the navy and the purchase of one C-303 submarine-fired torpedo decoy system from Italy.
India is looking at American F-16s and F/A-18 Super Hornets, French Mirages, Swedish Gripens and Russian MiGs.
Russia will field its latest nuclear capable MiG-35 fighter against US F-16 and the French Mirage 2000 in the tender to be floated for the acquisition of 125 aircraft for IAF to replace its ageing MiG-21 fleet, a top Russian official has said.
Need of the hour is to spend to grow more, the study said.
Andy Murray's hopes of a fairytale swansong at the Australian Open were crushed
IAF versus USAF: the air exercises begin
'Vibhuti was a braveheart.' 'He always said I cannot stay behind. He always wanted to lead.' A cousin and friend remember Major Dhaundiyal who made the supreme sacrifice for the motherland on Monday.
Two operational missile groups of the Indian Army -- one with the 150-250 km short-range Prithvi missiles and the other in charge of the longer-version 2,500 km Agni missiles, would form the nucleus of the new Strategic Forces Command.
'Increasing Indian influence meant "people here in Washington DC, in Brussels, in London or other world capitals don't talk about Kashmir".'
Pakistan is negotiating with Russia on acquiring an unspecified number of Su-35 'Flanker-E' multi-role fighter aircraft in potentially the largest military deal between the two Cold War-era adversaries, according to a leading defence weekly.
The success of the flight has sent the aspirations of the defence establishment soaring with plans being made to design a Medium Combat Aircraft.
It has been a busy World Cup for Kazan's mural artists and in the early hours of Thursday morning they were back at work again painting the face of Neymar on a wall behind the Brazil team hotel.
Altogether 19 fighter aircraft and 11 helicopters of the armed forces crashed in last three years in which 24 service personnel were killed, Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.
The strongest emotion he had felt in the company of his father Vijay, also a cricketer who played for nearly a decade for India, was fear, said ex-Test player Sanjay Manjrekar at the launch of his autobiography 'Imperfect' in Mumbai on Wednesday.
The tri-services chiefs while addressing the media also said that the forces were in a state of heightened readiness to deal with any eventuality.
India joins exclusive club of US, Europe, Russia and China.
Wing Commander Sahil Gandhi was among the best fighter pilots of the Indian Air Force. He perished when the Hawk aircraft he was flying had a mid air collision in Bengaluru on February 19. Those who had flown with him tell Archana Masih/Rediff.com about the skilled flyer who had a fan following among young pilots.
The mishap occurred during a sortie as part of the rehearsal for AeroIndia.
In many ways, the 68th Republic Day parade was unique.
On the one side there is a strong 'chowkidar', on the other, a line of tainted people, the prime minister said.
'If deterrence through India's conventional superiority is to be established now, then India will have to escalate to a point where its greater resources make the difference.' 'This is, to put it mildly, both difficult and dangerous and thus inadvisable,' points out Mihir S Sharma.
'While fighter pilots must not be sent into combat in inferior aircraft, an obsessive quest for outright combat superiority will leave an air force short of numbers,' says Ajai Shukla.
Singapore retained its title as the world's most expensive city for the fourth consecutive year, while Hong Kong remained second, closely followed by Zurich at the 3rd place.
While the Rafale deal seems to be the main order of business during French President Francois Hollande's visit, other aspects could help sweeten the deal, says Claude Arpi.
Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa said that no country in the world is facing the kind of grave threat that India is confronted with.
'In the Balakot operation, we had technology on our side, and we could launch precision stand of weapons with great accuracy.'
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