No scandal in Rafale deal: Dassault CEO

BENGALURU: Dassault Aviation Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Eric Trappier on Wednesday said that there was “no scandal” in the 36 Rafale fighter aircraft deal between India and France and added that if India needed more jets, his firm would be happy to deliver them. “There is no scandal vis-a-vis Rafale. We had a request for 36 aircraft and we are going to deliver 36 aircraft.

If the government of India wants more aircraft, we will be more than pleased to deliver,” Trappier told mediapersons on the sidelines of the Aero India air show. “There is also a request for information (RFI) for 110 fighter jets. We are a candidate because we feel that Rafale is the best aircraft and we have our footprint here in India. It’s not just Dassault but several other companies are in partnership and joint ventures with Indian companies,” he added.

The Congress has been accusing the Narendra Modi-led government of flouting rules and procedures and indulging in crony capitalism in the Rafale fighter jets deal. It has also been demanding a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) into the deal. Trappier also said that Dassault was “more than proud” to show in its stand the first Falcon 2000 cockpit manufactured at its Nagpur facility under the “Make in India” initiative. (IANS)

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