A day after the Congress accused the NDA government of having compromised national interest and security while promoting "crony capitalism" and causing a loss to the public exchequer in procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets from France, the South Block, which houses the ministry of defence is "undeterred" and decided not to pay any attention to the allegations. Though officially neither the MoD nor the Indian Air Force decided to react on the Congress's allegations, key officials in the ministry claim that the rules have been followed before inking the deal and procurement process will continue at its scheduled pace.
Moreover, process of updgrading the ground and maintenance facilities at Ambala in Punjab and Hashimara in West Bengal airbases, where these two squadrons of Rafale jets will be deployed, are also under construction, official claimed.
According to senior IAF officials privy to the development, the Air Force is expected to get the first delivery of aircraft by early 2019 and within a span of three years, all 36 Rafale warplanes will be inducted in the IAF.
"At the moment, customisation of aircraft is taking place in France as per requirement of the IAF. And, payments are also being made on schedule as per contract agreement with the manufacturer of aircraft. We can expect delivery of the first lot of aircraft from France by early 2019," said an IAF official, while adding that due process was followed for negotiating the deal by the government.
Expecting timely delivery, infrastructure upgradation work of two airbases ie. Ambala in Punjab and Hashimara in West Bengal, are also in full swing, as government has already sanctioned nearly Rs.500 crore for the project. Eighteen Rafale jets will be deployed in Ambala while an equal number of the new generation jet will be stationed in Hasimara.
After hectic deliberations, IAF had signed a Euro 7.87 billion (approx Rs 59,000 crore) deal with the French government for purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets in September 2016.
But on Tuesday, Congress communication department head Randeep Surjewala, without giving details to back allegations of the scam in the procurement of Rafale jet, had alleged “complete non-transparency, flagrant violation of mandatory provisions of the defence procurement procedure, sacrificing national interests on transfer of technology to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and blatant promotion of financial interests of crony capitalist friends of PM have marred” the aircraft deal.
On wednesday, the BJP reacted by calling the allegations baseless and said the Congress is trying to divert attention as it is scared at the prospect of several of its leaders being questioned in connection with the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case.
