Modi government's Rafale deal 2.86 percent cheaper than UPA's offer in 2007: CAG report

The CAG report which was tabled by the Modi government in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, also marking the last day of the parliament disclosed that the Rafale deal under Modi govt was 2.86 percent cheaper compared to the UPA government’s deal for 126 Rafale aircraft in 2007.

Rafale Deal (Source: PTI)

New Delhi: The CAG report which was tabled by the Modi government in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, also marking the last day of the parliament disclosed that the Rafale deal under Modi govt was 2.86 percent cheaper compared to the UPA government’s deal for 126 Rafale aircraft in 2007. It also stated that India managed to save 17.08% costs for the India Specific Enhancements in the 36 Rafale contract by the NDA government. The CAG report on Capital Acquisitions in Indian Air Force, which was tabled in Rajya Sabha, does not have any mention about the exact price of each fighter jet. The audit noted that the IAF did not define the ASQRs (Air Staff Qualitative Requirements) properly. A Defence Ministry team in March 2015 recommended the scrapping of the 126 Rafale deal saying that Dassault Aviation was not the lowest bidder and EADS (European Aeronautic Defence & Space Company) was not fully compliant with the tender requirements, the CAG report said. After the CAG report got tabled, Union Minister Arun Jaitley launched a scathing attack on the opposition over its allegations against the Modi government on pricing irregularities in the Rafale deal. Jaitley said the report by the comptroller and auditor general (CAG), which was tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, exposed the lies of the opposition. Arun Jaitley added that the Congress and its president Rahul Gandhi can’t always be right and everyone else be wrong. “The lies of ‘mahajhootbandhan’ stand exposed by the CAG report. It cannot be that the Supreme Court is wrong, the CAG is wrong and only the dynasty is right.” Jaitley tweeted.

The lies of ‘Mahajhootbandhan’ stand exposed by the CAG Report.

— Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) February 13, 2019

Hours before the CAG report was tabled in the House, Congress boss Rahul Gandhi, UPA chief Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and other senior Congress leaders protested against the Rafale deal outside Parliament. Rahul Gandhi tweeted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi “defended his personal Rafale bypass deal” with arguments that the new price for the fighter jets is lower than the one proposed during the Congress-led UPA regime and that the delivery will be faster. Citing a media report, Rahul Gandhi said both arguments have been “demolished”.