Rafale a win-win deal, says French minister

New Delhi/Jaipur: A day after defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman had hit out at the Congress and termed its allegation on the Rafale deal as “shameful”, French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the fighter jet deal would bolster India’s security and was a “win-win partnership” between the countries.

Speaking at the launch of Bonjour India 2017-18, a four-month-long event to mark Indo-French partnership, the Mr Le Drian was quoted by news agencies as saying, “It (the Rafale deal) is really a win-win partnership.” To a question on the row over the fighter jet deal, he said, “I read the statement of the defence minister of India, who explains how the purchase of 36 Rafales has been a very good opportunity for India’s security and a very good opportunity to work in the context of Make In India as well.”

But Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, undeterred, continued his attack on the deal.

Responding to Ms Sitharaman’s comments, Mr Gandhi tweeted on Saturday, “What’s shameful is your boss silencing you.”

Mr Gandhi also asked the defence minister about the pricing of the Rafale jets. “Final price of each Rafale jet? Did the Prime Minister take permission of the Cabinet Committee on Security before announcing the purchase in Paris? And why did the Prime Minister bypass experienced Hindustan Aeronautical Limited?” Mr Gandhi asked.

The Congress and the BJP have been exchanging barbs over the Rafale aircraft deal, with Mr Gandhi accusing the Prime Minister of allegedly changing the “entire deal” to benefit a businessman, a charge debunked by the ruling party.

India had inked an inter-governmental agreement with France in September last year for procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets at a cost of around Rs 58,000 crore, nearly one- and-half years after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the proposal during a visit to Paris. The delivery of the jets is scheduled to begin from September 2019.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, Ms Sitharaman had dismissed the Congress’ charge of irregularity in the deal, and claimed it was cheaper than what was negotiated under the previous multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) deal under which 126 fighter jets were to be bought. She also said that her government had addressed the “vacuum” in the national security structure created by the indecisiveness of the UPA dispensation by “immediately” going for procurement of 36 Rafale fighter planes in a fly-away condition.

However, CPIM(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said that Ms Sitharaman’s statement on the Rafale jet fighter deal has raised more questions than answers. He said he would like to know why comparative prices between the earlier scrapped deal for 126 fighter jets and the present one for 36 aircraft had not been shared.

“The defence minister’s press conference raises more questions than it answers about the Rafale deal. Why have comparative prices not been shared, as the Modi government claims it bought Rafales cheaper?” Mr Yechury tweeted on Saturday.