Rafale price details given to SC, govt says rules followed

IT ISN’T CLEAR IF PRICE REVEALED IS OF COST WITHOUT WEAPONS AND INDIASPECIFIC ENHANCEMENTS, OR

THE COST OF THE FULLY LOADED, MADEFORINDIA AIRCRAFT

NEW DELHI: The Government of India revealed in a sealed cover to the Supreme Court on Monday the pricing details of the controversial deal to buy 36 Rafale jets from France and also shared with petitioners questioning the deal a redacted version of a report submitted to the top court last month detailing the decision-making process that led to the purchase.

A government official familiar with the matter confirmed that the government has “given all details pertaining to the pricing of Rafale jets to court as it was felt that the prices could be revealed to Supreme Court judges.”

It isn’t clear whether the price revealed is that of the basic cost of the aircraft without weapons and India-specific enhancements, or the cost of the fully loaded, made-for-india one.

A team of Indian negotiators set up to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets got a better deal on price and maintenance of the planes as compared to the earlier offer from French firm Dassault Aviation, according to the decisionmaking report, which also added that there was no mention of a private business house when it came to the offset part of the deal.

The reference to offsets, experts said, just indicates that Dassault hasn’t perhaps given all details of the offset partnerships it has entered into, something it has to do only by October 2019.

Indian offset partners and products will be confirmed by Dassault at the time of seeking offset credits.