Accusing the NDA government of “compromising national security”, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala asked why the decision was made to forego ‘transfer of technology’ and reduce the number of aircraft under the Rafale deal from 126 to 36.
“It is now clear that the ‘India-specific enhancements’ mentioned by Modi and Sitharaman [Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman] on the floor of the Parliament and outside are those which were pre-decided by IAF at the time of tender of 126 Rafale fighter aircrafts issued by Congress-led UPA government,” Mr. Surjewala said.
Air staff qualitative requirements provided for 13 specific enhancements, including radar-enhancements, helmet-mounted display, towed decoy system, low-band jammer, radio altimeter and the ability to start and operate from high altitude airfields. these specifications had been pre-decided during the UPA government
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https://www.thehindu.com/news/natio...cabinet-panel-on-security/article24897135.ece
No secrecy clause between India and France, says Jaipal Reddy
Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister S. Jaipal Reddy on Friday alleged serious violations in defence procurement procedure on the Rafale fighter jet deal inked between India and France. He charged Prime Minister Narendra Modi with bypassing the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) and pushing through the deal.
“This is a unique deal in the history of independent India where only the PM was involved in sealing the deal, and former Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar and the then Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar were completely out of the picture,” said Mr. Reddy, speaking at the Congress Bhavan in Pune.
Every government, including the NDA coalition headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has followed the defence procurement procedure, he said.
Staggering loss
“Why were only 36 aircrafts purchased when 126 were required? Why did the cost per plane soar from ₹526 crore [as per Congress-led UPA government’s estimates] to ₹1,670 crore, causing the country a staggering loss of ₹41,000 crore,” Mr. Reddy stated, repeating the statistics with which senior leaders of his party have been attacking Mr. Modi and the NDA over the deal.
Prior approval needed
“Every purchase has to be endorsed by the CCS. The PM has no right to enter into a deal without its prior approval,” Mr. Reddy stated. The Congress, he added, had never raised any questions on the quality of the Rafale aircraft. It had only questioned the procedures followed in sealing the deal.
Drawing an analogy between the dictatorial tendencies of the 17th century French monarch, Louis XIV and the Prime Minister, Mr. Reddy while saying that India had no place for dictators, quipped that the “spirit of Louis XIV had entered Mr. Modi” when he signed the Rafale deal in Paris on April 10, 2015.
Collusion alleged
Reiterating his allegations of ‘collusion’ between Mr. Modi and the Reliance Group chairman, Mr. Reddy said Anil Ambani was aware of the deal between the Dassault Aviation company and the Government of India 12 days before the actual signing. He demanded a “thorough probe” on the links between Mr. Modi and Mr. Ambani.
“I am making a grave but a responsible allegation. He [Mr. Ambani] registered the company 12 days before the deal. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was not in the picture and the sound principle of transfer of technology was completely abandoned,” he said, demanding that the links between Mr. Modi and Mr. Ambani be thoroughly probed.
Demanding that true facts of the deal be put before the public, Mr. Reddy refuted the suggestion that there was a secrecy clause between the Indian and the French governments that did not permit disclosure of the deal.