Subhash Bhamre says the cost of each Rafale aircraft is approximately Rs 670 cr, but did not give details of prices of associated equipment, weapons and services
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) cleared the Rafale deal in August 2016, 16 months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an announcement of 36 fighter jets being procured at a cost of Rs 58,000 crore, the Ministry of Defence informed Parliament on Monday.
The Prime Minister, during his visit to France in April 2015, had clinched the long-pending deal.
Minister of State for Defence, Subhash Bhamre, said the cost of each Rafale aircraft is approximately Rs 670 crore, but did not give details of prices of associated equipment, weapons and services.
“The inter-governmental agreement (IGA) for procurement of 36 Rafale aircraft with the French government was accorded approval by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on August 24, 2016 and signed on December 23, 2016,” Bhamre said in a reply in Rajya Sabha.
The minister’s written response came to a question by Congress MP Vivek Tankha, who asked whether the CCS approval was sought at the time of announcement of the deal in France.
The Rafale deal has triggered a controversy with Congress making allegations of corruption, saying the jets have been purchased at an overprice.
The Congress has been demanding details of the deal, including cost of equipment and weapons.
Last week, quoting from the annual report of Dassault Aviation, the makers of the fighter aircraft, the Congress said while 36 Rafale jets were sold to India at 7.5 billion Euros in 2016, 48 jets were sold to Qatar and Egypt at 7.9 billion Euros in 2015.
According to the Congress, this amounted to Rs 1,670.70 crore per aircraft to India and Rs 1,319.80 crore to Egypt as well as Qatar. There was a difference of Rs 351 crore for each aircraft, the party claimed.
EACH COSTS RS 670 CR
Minister of State for Defence, Subhash Bhamre, said the cost of each Rafale aircraft is approximately Rs 670 crore, but did not give details of prices of associated equipment, weapons and services
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