World Cup-winning former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Thursday hailed the induction of Rafale jets into the Indian Air Force, saying the “potent bird’s lethality will only increase” in the hands of IAF pilots.

The wicketkeeper-batsman, who is preparing for the IPL in UAE,  promptly expressed his delight at five Rafale fighter jets being formally inducted into the 17 Squadron of the IAF at a glittering ceremony at the Ambala air base.

The honoury lieutenant colonel in the Territorial Army, tweeted,“With the Final Induction Ceremony the world’s best combat proven 4.5Gen fighter plane gets the world’s best fighter pilots. In the hands of our pilots and the mix of different aircrafts with the IAF the potent bird’s lethality will only increase.”

The induction ceremony was attended by defence minister Rajnath Singh and the French minister of the armed force Florence Parly.

Even if so for a brief while, cricket was meant to take a back seat as Dhoni, who recently brought to an end his glorious international cricket career, wished the 17 Squadron luck.

Before arriving in Ambala, France”s minister of armed forces received a ceremonial Guard of Honour at New Delhi. IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal (ACM) R.K.S. Bhadauria was also present at the induction ceremony. This is the first imported fighter jet to be inducted into service since the Sukhoi-30s from Russia in the late 90s.