New Delhi: The Centre has defended the deal to procure 36 Rafale fighter jets in a fly-away condition and asserted that the purchase of the French fighter aircraft was in conformity with the process laid down in the Defence Procurement Procedure of 2013. “It is reiterated that that the procurement process as laid down in the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP)-2013 was followed in procurement of 36 Rafale aircraft. The approval of DAC (Defence Acquisition Council) for procurement of 36 Rafale aircraft was taken, Indian Negotiating Team (INT) was constituted which conducted negotiations with the French side for about a year and approval of CCS (Cabinet Committee on Security) being CFA (competent financial authority) was taken before the signing of IGA (inter-government agreement),” the Centre has said.
The Centre has given other procedural details of the deal to the top court in a sealed cover, which it shared with the petitioner, M.L. Sharma, and NGO Common Cause, on Monday, in pursuance of the top court’s October 31 order. On the contentious issue of HAL being dislodged as an Indian Offset Partner, the Centre has contended that in the IGA between India and France there was no mention of any private business entity. “The offset contract does not envisage manufacture of 36 Rafale aircraft in India by any public or private sector firm,” the government has said. Washing its hands of any involvement in the choice of private player as Offset Partner by Dassault Aviation, the Centre has said that it was entirely up to the French aircraft manufacturer to decide. “As per the Offset Contract, the vendor/OEM is required to confirm the details of the IOPs/products either at the time of seeking offset credits or one year prior to discharge of offset obligations,” the Centre said.
Amongst the papers given to the top court, the Centre has also included the statement issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) by way of clarification on former French President Francois Hollande’s interview concerning the selection of Reliance Defence as the offset partner. On September 22, the Defence Ministry issued a clarification on the offset guidelines, saying, “As per Defence Offset Guidelines, the foreign Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) is free to select any Indian company as its offset partner.” It described the JV between Reliance Defence and Dassault Aviation as a “purely commercial arrangement between two private companies”. (IANS)
Also Read: National News