CAG report on Rafale does not mention dissenting note, not worth paper its written on: Rahul Gandhi ## CAG report on Rafale does not mention dissenting note, not worth paper its written on: Rahul Gandhi

"The argument given by the prime minister for the new Rafale deal was price and faster delivery. This has been demolished," he said, citing a note by officials.

"You say there was no scam, then why are you afraid of ordering a JPC," he said, reiterating his demand for a joint parliamentary committee to look into the deal.

The Congress attack came came a day after Gandhi accused the prime minister of "treason" and violating the Official Secrets Act by acting as Anil Ambani's "middleman" in the Rafale jet contract, citing an email to claim the businessman was aware of the deal days before India and France finalised it.

The BJP, however, rejected the charge, saying the email purportedly by an Airbus executive referred to a helicopter deal and not Rafale.

Reliance Defence, in a statement, also refuted Gandhi's allegation saying the "proposed MoU" mentioned in the email referred to its cooperation with Airbus Helicopter.

Feb 13, 2019 5:04 PM

Feb 13, 2019 5:03 PM

CAG report does not mention dissent note of negotiators, I don't think its worth the paper its written on: Rahul Gandhi on Rafale

Feb 13, 2019 4:49 PM

Feb 13, 2019 4:36 PM

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday cited a media report to claim that the PM's argument of better pricing and faster delivery of the jets to defend the deal has been "demolished". His attack came after a report in The Hindu which claimed that the Rafale deal was not on"better terms" than the UPA-era offer. "The PM defended his personal RAFALE bypass deal on 2 counts: 1. Better Price 2. Faster Delivery. Both have been demolished by the revelations in the Hindu today," he tweeted.

Feb 13, 2019 4:30 PM

PM Modi's bluster gone over Rafale: Rahul gandhi ## PM Modi's bluster gone over Rafale: Rahul Gandhi

The "revelations on Rafale, one after the other...Today you see in the Hindu newspaper, that the entire argument for the new deal, the idea that it was cheaper and the idea that planes were needed quickly, has been demolished. Finished," Rahul Gandhi said.

"So there is not a single step for the prime minister to stand on, you can see it in his face, you can see the expression, you can see that, that bluster has gone and that is not Rahul Gandhi, that is the Congress party, Congress workers and all of you," he said addressing his party's lawmakers.

Gandhi alleged that the government's "attack has been systematic".

"We are defeating the BJP in the ideological fight. We are defeating the BJP on the daily news cycle and the Congress party is now, firmly entrenched in the mood and spirit of the people," he asserted.

There is only one party that speaks for the entire country, the Congress chief said, adding that every other party speaks for a part of the Indian society.

Rahul Gandhi alleged that the RSS and the BJP divide the nation and only speak for a part of the country.

Feb 13, 2019 4:15 PM

Cong defeating BJP in ideological fight, Modi's bluster gone over Rafale: Rahul Gandhi ## Cong defeating BJP in ideological fight, Modi's bluster gone over Rafale: Rahul Gandhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not have a "single step" to stand on and his "bluster" has gone in the wake of the Rafale deal "revelations", Congress president Rahul Gandhi said Wednesday, asserting that his party was winning the "ideological fight" against the BJP.

Addressing the Congress Parliamentary Party's general body meeting, Gandhi described the Rafale deal as a "systematic robbery" from the Indian defence forces and alleged that not just the fighter jet contract, but every single deal under the Modi government had been managed in the same way.

One man is chosen and then the whole procedure is bypassed, he alleged at the meeting that was attended by Congress Parliamentary Party leader Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Congress' leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad among others.

The "revelations on Rafale, one after the other...Today you see in the Hindu newspaper, that the entire argument for the new deal, the idea that it was cheaper and the idea that planes were needed quickly, has been demolished. Finished," Rahul Gandhi said.

Feb 13, 2019 4:07 PM

Here are the main highlights from the CAG report on the cost of procurement of Rafale aircraft##Here are the main highlights from the CAG report on the cost of procurement of Rafale aircraft

Background:

Offer of 2007 had 2 distinct packages – 18 flyaway Aircraft package & pricing for ToT package of 108 aircraft to be produced in India

Offer of 2015 was only for 36 flyaway fighter aircrafts

For comparing the prices of 2007 & 2015, the scope of both offers had to be brought at par

Findings:

Overall the 2015 price was 2.86% cheaper than the 2007 price

Offer on missile procurement implied a cost saving of 17.08%

Vendor charged 6.54% more in the area of engineering support package (ESP)

Vendor charged an excess of 6.54% in the area of performance based logistics

Vendor charged 2.68% more in the area of training

Vendor charged 1.05% less in the area of weapon package

On India Specific Enhancements:

During negotiations of 2015 for 36 aircraft, Ministry rejected INT’s proposal to reduce number of India specific enhancements by six

4 of the India specific enhancements (14% of the total cost of enhancements) were found to be unnecessary by technical & staff evaluations

Savings On ‘No Bank Guarantee’ Went To Vendor & Not Indian Govt:

Total savings accruing to the vendor by not having to provide guarantee was to be passed on to the govt

Audit finds that this was actually a saving for vendor when compared with its previous 2007 offer

On Bank Guarantee:

Offer in 2007 had included 15% bank guarantee against advance payments

In the 2015 offer, there was no financial & performance bank guarantees

Govt of France & vendor provided letter of comfort signed by the French PM despite Law Ministry advising that a govt/sov guarantee be procured

On Delivery Schedule:

There was an improvement of one month in the delivery schedule of the 2016 contract vs 2007

INT had apprehensions about the achievements of even this delivery schedule

Feb 13, 2019 3:20 PM

The government stands vindicated, says Finance minister Arun Jaitley##The government stands vindicated, says Finance minister Arun Jaitley

Feb 13, 2019 2:45 PM

Rafale deal negotiating team Chairman rejects claims of dissent note in contract reports##Rafale deal negotiating team Chairman rejects claims of dissent note in contract reports

Breaking his silence, the chairman of the Indian Negotiating Team (INT) in the 36 Rafale deal Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria on Wednesday said three members of his team had raised certain objection points which were "note dissent" as these were "suitably included and addressed" in his final report. Bhaduria also said that the observations by the three members were part of the deliberations of the INT and could not be viewed as a 'dissent note' as stated in a newspaper report today.

"These observations from three members were given to me as the INT chairman. This was not a dissent note. All the issues brought out were discussed earlier also since these points were brought up during discussions within INT and taken up in external negotiations," Bhadauria said while commenting on a media report which suggested that three members had submitted an eight-page "dissent note".

This is the first time that Bhadauria has spoken out on the terms of the Rafale deal sine the Congress and other opposition parties have started raising questions on various facets of the multi billion dollar Rafale deal. (ANI)

Feb 13, 2019 2:44 PM

Former MP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan reacts on CAG report on Rafale deal##Former MP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan reacts on CAG report on Rafale deal

Feb 13, 2019 2:29 PM

Here's what the CAG report on Rafale deal says on bank guarantee issue##Here's what the CAG report on Rafale deal says on bank guarantee issue

Offer in 2007 had included 15 percent bank guarantee against advance payments. In the 2015 offer, there was no financial and performance bank guarantees. The government of France and vendor provided letter of comfort signed by the French PM despite Law Ministry advising that a sovereign guarantee be procured.

Feb 13, 2019 1:22 PM

Here's what CAG report on Rafale deal says about delivery schedule between NDA vs UPA governments##Here's what CAG report on Rafale deal says about delivery schedule between NDA vs UPA governments

There was an improvement of one month in the delivery schedule of the 2016 contract vs 2007. INT had apprehensions about the achievements of even this delivery schedule.

Feb 13, 2019 1:05 PM

NDA's Rafale deal 2.86 percent cheaper than UPA's 2007 offer: CAG##NDA's Rafale deal 2.86 percent cheaper than UPA's 2007 offer: CAG

The Rafale deal negotiated by the NDA government to procure 36 fighter jets was 2.86 per cent cheaper than the UPA's 2007 offer, the Comptroller and Auditor General said in its report. With regard to India specific enhancements, the deal was 17.08 per cent cheaper, said the CAG report, which was tabled in Parliament on Wednesday. In terms of engineering support package and performance based logistics, the deal was 6.54 per cent expensive, it stated.

The NDA deal was 2.86 per cent cheaper than the one negotiated by the UPA government in 2007, according to the report. The report gives much relief to the Modi government, which has been facing fervent attacks by the Congress over the fighter jet deal. The Centre has repeatedly denied allegations by the opposition party in the Rafale issue. (PTI)

Feb 13, 2019 12:58 PM

Rajya Sabha adjourned sine die##Rajya Sabha adjourned sine die

Rajya Sabha has been adjourned sine die. The Triple Talaq and Citizenship Bills have also lapsed with the end of the session. Both the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018 were introduced in Lok Sabha, passed and sent to Rajya Sabha. With the general elections around the corner, the bills will have to clear Lok Sabha again once a new Lower House is elected. Earlier, the upper house passed Motion of Thanks on the President's Address without debate. Interim Budget 2019-20 and Appropriation Bill were also passed without debate.

Feb 13, 2019 12:49 PM

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