While the Supreme Court had dismissed the petitions challenging the deal, the controversy persists with the opposition accusing the Modi Government of paying almost three times the cost negotiated by the previous Government for each plane. The Congress President had also spoken of the then Defence Minister and the present Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar telling his cabinet colleagues that he had all the sensitive files related to Rafale in his bedroom. Parrikar insinuated that since he was privy to the details, the Centre would not dare remove him as CM although he remains ill and confined to bed most of the time. While the BJP had accused the Congress of having doctored the audio tape in which a Goa Minister Vishwajeet Rane could be heard talking of Parrikar’s quip, no FIR has been lodged and no inquiry has been initiated so far. Nor has any BJP minister, normally quick to slap defamation suits, has approached the court, strengthening suspicions of foul play. Now the purchase order by the French has put fat in the fire. Excerpts from the report which has set the cat among the pigeons and the link is reproduced below: “The French government today signed a €2 billion contract with Dassault Aviation for 28 Rafale aircraft and gave the go-ahead for development of the aircraft’s F4 standard which should be validated by 2024, although some functions will be ready by 2022. The 28 aircraft will include some F4 functionalities and be delivered to the French air force from 2023. Defense Minister Florence Parly announced that a further 30 aircraft at the full F4 standard would be ordered in 2023 for delivery between 2027 and 2030. The F4 standard will have upgraded radar sensors and front sector optronics as well as improved capabilities in the helmet-mounted display. It will have new weapons, notably MBDA’s Mica NG air-to-air missile and 1,000 kg AASM air-to-ground modular weapon, be able to carry the new Scalp missiles and be equipped with the Talios multifunction optronic pod made by Thales.”<doc-sep>File image of a Rafale fighter jet | Photo Credit: AP New Delhi/Paris: Even as the ongoing row over Rafale fighter jet deal continues, another massive controversy erupted on Tuesday. Reports claimed that the French government has given an order for 28 Rafale fighter jets to its manufacturer Dassault Aviation at a cost of EUR 2.3 billion, less than half the price what India is paying for the jets. In the government-to-government deal inked by India with Dassault, India is paying EUR 7.8 billion (Rs 59,000 crore approx) to acquire 36 Rafale fighter jets in flyaway condition. Going by this price, the 28 jets should cost about EUR 6.06 billion. The French government of President Emmanuel Macron has rejected the reports, saying that it was paying EUR 2 billion to the aircraft manufacturer to finance the development of the new F4 variant of the fighter jet. French Ambassador to India Alexandre Ziegler Tuesday said the government back home had not entered into any new deal to acquire Rafale jets. The envoy said the 28 jets in question are part of earlier deals. "France did not announce yesterday any new aircraft acquisition order! The amount you’re referring to will finance solely the development of the new F4 standard for the Rafale. The 28 aircraft remaining to be delivered to the French Air Force are part of previous acquisition contracts," the envoy tweeted. The French Ambassador's clarification came after the Congress run-National Herald newspaper carried an online report titled "French order for Rafale suggests Modi Govt paid a lot more for a lot less". The report further said, "2.3 billion Euros for 28 Rafale planes for France and 7.8 billion Euros for 36 planes bought by India? The numbers do not match, say critics as afresh controversy erupts". It may be noted that the Indian Air Force would be getting F3R variant of the Rafale fighter jet, with the first aircraft scheduled to be delivered in September this year. The deliveries are to be completed by 2022. Dassault has stated that the F4 variant of the aircraft will be developed by 2024. The Congress party led by its president Rahul Gandhi has alleged that the Narendra Modi government has inked an overpriced deal with France, compared to what the UPA government was negotiating with the European aircraft manufacturer.<doc-sep>
@NH_India France did not announce yesterday any new aircraft acquisition order! The amount you’re referring to will… https://t.co/YW8MZ34F0Z — Alexandre Ziegler (@FranceinIndia) 1547562132000 NEW DELHI: Yet another controversy over the 7.8 billion euro (Rs 59,000 crore) deal for 36 Rafale fighters erupted on Tuesday, with some reports claiming France on Monday had ordered 28 of the jets at half the cost compared to what India had paid.But the French government promptly refuted the reports, stressing that the 2 billion euro figure being mentioned for the purchase of the 28 fighters was in fact meant for development of the new F4 variant of the Rafale. "France yesterday did not announce any new aircraft acquisition order! The amount being referred to will finance solely the new F4 standard for the Rafale. The 28 aircraft remaining to be delivered to the French Air Force are part of previous acquisition contracts," tweeted French ambassador to India Alexandre Ziegler.The IAF, incidentally, is getting the F3R variant of the Rafale, with the 36 jets slated for delivery in the 2019-2022 timeframe, under the deal inked by the NDA government in September 2016.The original F1 standard Rafale was first upgraded to F2, with air-to-ground and air-to-air weapon capabilities, while the F3 and F3R ones enhanced its versatility further. As per fighter manufacturer Dassault Aviation , the validation of the F4 standard is planned for 2024, with some functions becoming available as of 2022.Congress has alleged that the "non-transparent" Rafale deal was vastly overpriced, violated defence procurement procedures, included no transfer of technology, and was intended to benefit the Anil Ambani-promoted Reliance Defence as the "offsets partner" of Dassault Aviation at the cost of defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. Strongly rejecting these allegations, the NDA government says it secured a "better deal" in terms of price, capability, equipment, delivery and maintenance.