Reliance was not a choice for Dassault but an unavoidable option: French media on Rafale deal
A highly reputed French investigative journal, Mediapart, has exposed some shocking facts related to the controversial Rafale deal with the support of some sensitive documents secretly obtained from the France-based company which lately joined hand with the recently-launched defence equipment manufacturing company of Anil Ambani, Reliance Defence, to sell nearly 36 Rafale fighter jets to the Indian Airforce, Dassault Aviation.
As per what has been exposed by the investigative journal, the Dassault Aviation has been forced to accept the Reliance Defence as their partner.
The 7.87 billion euro deal has triggered criticism in the initial stage itself, as it has unjustifiably replaced the deal inked by the former government to purchases nearly one-hundred-and-twenty-six fighter jets.
The main allegation is that the price paid to purchase each jet this time is much higher than what it was in the previous deal.
But, this is not the allegation that bothers the present government the most. It is the allegation related to the Reliance defence that worries the NDA-led government. It is a well-known truth that the Indian partner of the deal will hugely benefit from the deal.
As more and more revelations are coming day by day supporting the allegations that the present Indian government has exerted pressure on the French company to choose the Reliance Defence as their partner, the big question needed to be answered is: what, if the allegation is true, has prompted the government to pressurise the French company to choose the least-experienced private company over the highly-efficient and highly-accountable public sector company HAL.
Vignesh. S. G
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