Rafale row: MoD policy amendment did away with scrutiny of offset proposals

Most 'extras' in 36-Rafale contract were also specified in earlier tender

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government paid French vendor Dassault Euro 7.85 billion for 36 Rafale fighters, or an average-per-fighter cost of Euro 217 million. That is 40 per cent higher per aircraft than Dassault’s quote of Euro 19.5 billion for 126 fighters — or Euro 155 million per Rafale — that it submitted in response to an eventually aborted tender issued in 2007. 

This, even though the terms, conditions and aircraft configuration in the 36-Rafale deal in 2016 were almost identical to the Indian Air Force (IAF) specifications in the 2007 tender — termed Request for Proposals (RFP). 

Business