Rafale aircraft cost 40% higher versus 2012 deal, says Defence Expert

A special interaction with Ajai Shukla, columnist, Business Standard who has found out and reported that Indian Air Force’s 36 Rafale aircraft cost 40 percent more than Dassault's offer in 2012.

There is a huge political controversy going on with the Congress calling it a mega scam.

Ajai Shukla said that there are minor differences in the package, both in weapons and in logistics and in enhancements and additional capabilities.

“It is not to say as the government has been trying to say over the last one year that 36 Rafale deal, Mr. Modi’s deal included weapons and additional capabilities and logistics while the earlier Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) for 126 aircrafts did not include those – that would be incorrect,” he added.

“The 126 Rafale deal as the Business Standard report noted, the Business Standard has a copy of the request for proposal, it was quoting directly from the 126 MMRCA request for proposals (RFPs). It was sort of bringing out that the same factors were there in the same deal,” Shukla further added.

According to him, it’s a simple question of mathematics; divide the total number by the number of aircraft and you have the per aircraft figure.

“The aircraft figure in 126 MMRCA deal is averaged out over two different kinds of aircrafts; Rafale which are built in France and Rafale which are built in India and even the average figure which would be more favourable is lower than 36 Rafale deal.