How home-bound Rafale fighter jets gave golden chance to Indian Air Force, details inside

Sep 3 (AZINS) Even as the Congress and the ruling BJP fight over the cost of Rafale fighter jets, the Indian Air Force pilots are training on the combat planes at two key air bases in the country.

How Indian Air Force got the golden chance? According to an NDTV report, it is due to the 72-hour stopover by the French Air Force contingent, which is returning home after participating in the Exercise Pitch Black in Australia.

The report said that the Indian Air Force pilots are training on Rafale jets at air bases in Gwalior and Agra.

On recent visit to the UK, Congress Chief Rahul Gandhi had raked up the issue and accused the Narendra Modi government of changing the contract to benefit an industrialist who was in debt.

Facing allegations of getting undue benefits from the multi-billion dollar Rafale deal, Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group has sent legal notices to several Congress leaders asking them to "cease and desist" from levelling such charges.

Gandhi, in response to a question on tackling corruption, said: "Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has been building aircraft for 70 years... HAL has no debt. HAL has by far the best experience in building aircraft in 70 years".

"Our government signed a contract with Dassault, and gave the contract to HAL. The price we were paying was approximately 520 crores.

"Then something happened, Prime Minister Modi went to France, changed the contract from 126 planes to 36 planes, changed the pricing structure from 520 crores to 1,600 crores and magically, Mr Anil Ambani was given the contract," Gandhi said.

The Congress president alleged that "Mr Anil Ambani is Rs 45,000 crore in debt".

"Mr Anil Ambani has never made a plane in his life, and the company that got the contract, one of the biggest defence contracts in the world, was formed one week before, luckily this is absolutely amazing. So that's the interesting question about corruption," Gandhi said.

Reliance Group has denied the allegations relating to the deal under which France's Dassault is supplying the fighter jets and has entered into a joint venture with an Anil Ambani-led group firm to meet its offset requirement of the contract.