New Delhi: Key anti-corruption clauses were dropped from the much controversial Rafale deal, as per a report by The Hindu on Monday. While Congress President Rahul Gandhi asserted with this piece of news; as per another report of ANI, the current Government is following inter-government policies made by the previous UPA Government.
According to The Hindu, the high-level political intervention meant that standard Defence Procurement Procedure clauses on “Penalty for use of Undue Influence, Agents/Agency Commission, and Access to Company Accounts” of Rafale jet-maker Dassault Aviation and missile-maker MBDA France were dropped by the government in the supply protocols.
As per the report, “the €7.87-billion Rafale deal between India and France involved major and unprecedented concessions from the Indian government, with critical provisions for anti-corruption penalties and making payments through an escrow account dropped days before the signing of the inter-governmental agreement (IGA).”
Under the Inter-Governmental Agreement signed between India and France in Delhi on September 23, 2016, Dassault is the supplier of the Rafale aircraft package and MBDA France is the supplier of the weapons package to the Indian Air Force.
“Every defence deal has an anti-corruption clause. The Hindu has reported that the Prime Minister removed the anti-corruption clause. It is clear that the Prime Minister facilitated the loot,” Rahul told while addressing a media conference here.
However, ANI reported that the policy for signing inter-governmental agreements without classically following the standard operating procedures (SOP) or standard contract document (SCD) was laid by the previous UPA Government.
Quoting its source the ANI also reported that the Indian negotiating team, which confirmed the deal for the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft from French company Dassault through an inter-governmental agreement, followed that policy of the UPA government.
The Government or the BJP or any of the top leaders are yet to make any statement regarding this latest fiasco in relation to Rafale deal.
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