Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday officially received the first Rafale fighter jet made for India by the French company Dassault. The minister, who is on a three-day visit to France, attended the handover ceremony along with his French counterpart Florence Parly at aircraft maker Dassault Aviation facility in Merignac, southwestern France.

Rajnath Singh performed a Shastra Puja on the new aircraft as he emblazoned it with an 'Om' tilak and laid flowers and coconut, just before he was to take off in it for a sortie in the newly-acquired two-seater jet.

India had ordered 36 Rafale fighter jets from France in a deal worth Rs 59,000 crore in September 2016.

While the formal handover ceremony takes place this week, the first batch of four Rafale jets will fly to their home base in India by May 2020. All 36 jets are expected to arrive in India by September 2022, for which the IAF has been reportedly undertaking preparations, including readying required infrastructure and training of pilots.

Here are the highlights:

9:30 pm: We do not purchase arms and other defence equipments to threaten any country but to increase our capabilities & strengthen our defences. The credit for the acquisition of the Rafale jets must go to PM @narendramodi. His decisiveness has greatly benefited our national security: Rajnath Singh

9:30 pm: Taking a sortie in Rafale was a memorable and once in a lifetime experience. The induction of Rafale will go a long way in strengthening our national defence: Rajnath Singh

8:32 pm: By February 2021, we will get delivery of 18 Rafale aircraft and by April-May 2022 we will get all 36 aircraft. This is a part of our self-defence and not a sign of aggression against anyone. It is a deterrent: Rajnath Singh

8:19 pm: Rafale has the ability to fire air-to-air and air-to-land simultaneously, but whatever additions we are making to our capability are for defence: Rajnath Singh

8:15 pm: Rafale a great deterrent, says Rajnath Singh after landing

8:14 pm: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh after taking a sortie in the Rafale jet: It was a very comfortable and smooth flight. It was an unprecedented moment, I had never thought that one day I will fly at super sonic speed in an aircraft.

7:55 pm: Rajnath Singh's 25-minute-long sortie ends as the defence minister lands on the airstrip in Mérignac. Rafale jet carrying Defence Minister Rajnath Singh lands after taking a sortie. It was being flown by Philippe Duchateau, head test pilot of Dassualt Aviation.

Mérignac(France): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh lands after taking a sortie in the #Rafale jet https://t.co/cQO4wBjDry pic.twitter.com/xCtxWOYI0S ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2019

7:15 pm: Rajnath Singh is being flown by Philippe Duchateau, head test pilot of Dassault Aviation.

Raksha Mantri shri @rajnathsingh is taking a sortie in Rafale at Merignac in France pic.twitter.com/xEyoIwQeet / RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) October 8, 2019

7:10pm: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh takes off in Rafale RB001 for sortie.

Mérignac(France): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to take a sortie in the #Rafale combat aircraft, shortly pic.twitter.com/TvVh4kivLd ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2019

7:04 pm: With Om rafale has been inducted into Indian Air Force. Now it depends on Pakistan when it wants to get it hit by a bomb from it: Shandilya Giriraj Singh

6:45 pm: Éric Trappier, Dassault Aviation CEO: It is a great day for Indian Air Force and India, also for France and Dassault Aviation. We did what was in the contract and now it is ready to fly. We are very proud.

6:43 pm: Congress links Shastra Puja on Rafale fighter jet with religion, slams government

6:26 pm: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh performs Shastra Puja at newly-inducted IAF Rafale jet.

Mérignac(France): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh performs 'Shastra Puja', on the Rafale combat jet officially handed over to India. pic.twitter.com/kOOzu430bK ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2019

5:54 pm: IAF Rafale handover certificates given to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

5:50 pm: Today marks a new milestone in India-France strategic partnership.I look forward to taking a sortie in the Rafale aircraft: Rajnath Singh

5:48 pm: I am happy that the delivery of Rafale aircraft is on schedule, I am confident that this will add further strength to our Air Force. I wish cooperation between our two major democracies further increases in all sectors: Rajnath Singh

5:44 pm: I am happy that the delivery of Rafel aircraft is on schedule, I am confident that this will add further strength to our Air Force. I wish cooperation between our two major democracies further increases in all sectors. I look forward to fly Rafale shortly: Rajnath Singh

5:43 pm: In India, today is the festival of Dusssehra also known as Vijayadashmi where we celebrate victory over evil. It is also the 87th Air Force Day, therefore the day becomes symbolic in so many ways: Rajnath Singh

5:42 pm: This ceremony indeed is a historic and landmark day for the Indian Armed Forces. This ceremony signifies the depth of the strategic partnership between India and France: RM in France

5:40 pm: Rajnath Singh pays homage to former French president Jacques Chirac, who passed away on September 26. "At the outset, I pay homage to Late President Jacques Chirac-a truly global statesman and a staunch friend of India- who played a decisive role along with our late Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee in establishing and building India-France Startegic Partnership: Rajnath Singh

5:39 pm: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addresses Rafale induction ceremony

5:00 pm: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to take a sortie in the Rafale combat aircraft, shortly

Mérignac(France): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to take a sortie in the Rafale combat aircraft, shortly pic.twitter.com/jS9mhYbYtQ ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2019

4:30 pm: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the Dassualt assembly line facility in Mérignac.

Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh has reached Mérignac. He is now visiting the Production Unit of Dassault Aviation. pic.twitter.com/fM61e9MCLN / RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) October 8, 2019

3:03 pm: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on-board a French military aircraft in Paris. He is travelling in the aircraft from Paris to Mérignac to receive the first Rafale combat aircraft.

#WATCH France: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on-board a French military aircraft in Paris. He is travelling in the aircraft from Paris to Mérignac to receive the first Rafale combat aircraft. pic.twitter.com/FSGwZjjiCA ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2019

2:44 pm: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrives at Vélizy Villacoublay Air Base. He is travelling to Mérignac, from Paris, to receive the first Rafale combat aircraft.

2:00 pm: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and President of France, Emmanuel Macron held meeting in Paris.