Rafale deal win-win but details can't be revealed, says France's Macron

Your government made very good negotiations in the interest of India, says Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday said the Rafale deal with India was a win-win approach and its details could not be revealed for commercial reasons.

"The negotiation was a win-win approach. Your government made very good negotiations in the interest of India," Macron said in an interview to India Today news channel ahead of his maiden visit to the country.

"You have commercial agreement and you have competitors. And these competitors are not supposed to know some details of the deal because it will not be good for the company for commercial reasons."

The interests of people of India were "well defended" by the Indian government "from economic point of view and strategic point of view" in the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets, Macron added.

"It is a very good agreement. It is for your security because it is best aircraft. And it is best way to be protected in the current environment," he said.

About the demand by the opposition in India to disclose details of Rafale deal, Macron said: "In our alliance between Indian and France, we don't reveal some information when they are sensitive for business reasons. The absence of answers on some technical issues is due to commercial agreements for the interest of different companies."

"You have some discussions to be organised by the Indian government and (it) reveals some details of the deal, they consider which could be revealed to the opposition and Parliament. I am not the one to interfere in such issues. But definitely you have commercial sensitivity."