Air Force declines to share details on Rafale deal

The Defence Ministry was asked to provide copies of the agreement and price of the Rafale deal. The query was then forwarded to the Air Force for providing the reply.

New Delhi, Feb 5: Details of the agreement signed between Indian and French authorities regarding supply of 36 Rafale aircraft cannot be disclosed as they are confidential in nature, the Air Force has said.

An Inter-Governmental Agreement was signed between the governments of India and France on September 23, 2016 for supply of the Rafale aircraft, initial consignment of weapons, long-term maintenance support through performance-based logistics, simulators with annual maintenance and associated equipment.

Replying to an RTI query, the Air Force said the details are held by it in fiduciary capacity. The information sought is confidential in nature and public revelation of the same may lead to its subsequent availability to our adversaries, it said.

"Further, the information sought is also held in fiduciary capacity and no larger public interest is served by disclosure of such information. Hence, the same is denied," the Air Force said in reply to the application filed.

The Defence Ministry was asked to provide copies of the agreement and price of the Rafale deal. The query was then forwarded to the Air Force for providing the reply. The delivery of 36 Rafale aircraft, weapons and associated equipment to India will commence from September 2019.

The deliveries are spread over two and half years, with the last aircraft delivery scheduled in April 2022.

PTI