Sitharaman slams Cong over Rafale

WAR OF WORDS Minister says NDA’s deal 9% cheaper than UPA’s NEWDELHI:

Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Tuesday that the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government was getting the Rafale fighter jets at a rate that was nine per cent cheaper than what the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) dispensation had agreed upon.

Talking to reporters in New Delhi, she also said it would be a “good fight” in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, and exuded confidence that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would come back to power.

“We have responded saying your basic price and the basic price that I am getting at, when compared with all the escalation and other things, is 9 per cent cheaper,” she said amidst a sustained attack by the Congress alleging irregularities in the Rafale aircraft deal.

Earlier in the day, former defence minister and senior Congress leader AK Antony questioned why the government didn’t buy more than 126 jets if the deal was indeed cheaper. Antony also accused Sitharaman of “suppressing facts” on the Rafale deal and asked why the government was not setting up a joint parliamentary committee to probe it.

The previous UPA government started negotiating in 2012 with French firm Dassault Aviation to buy 126 Medium MultiRole Combat Aircraft. The plan was for Dassault Aviation to supply 18 Rafale jets in fly-away condition while 108 aircraft were to be manufactured in India by the

We have responded saying your basic price and the basic price that I am getting at, when compared with all the escalation and other things, is 9% cheaper NIRMALA SITHARAMAN, Defence minister

Since, there is a growing perception that the Modi govt’s Rafale deal has more skeletons in its closet, let there be joint parliamentary probe to bring out the truth

AK ANTONY, Senior Congress leader and former defence minister

company along with HAL. However, the deal could not be sealed.

Sitharaman held the erstwhile UPA responsible for Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) being overlooked in the jet deal.

“The UPA government could have done anything to strengthen HAL’s offer, to make sure its terms were appealing enough for Dassault, they could have done everything to ensure the terms were appealing enough for Dassault to conclude the agreement,” Sitharaman said. “This entire issue of HAL