No choice given: Ex-French Prez Hollande on Reliance getting Rafale deal


New Delhi, Sep 21(DC): Adding fuel to the ongoing Rafale controversy, former French President François Hollande in an interview to a media house said that Dassault Aviation was given no choice but to partner with Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence for the offset clause in the Rafale fighter jet deal.

In an article published by French journal Mediapart, Hollande on a question about who selected Reliance as a partner and why said it was the Indian government that proposed Reliance’s name and Dassault had no choice but to take the company given to it.

“We did not have a say in that. The Indian government proposed this service group, and Dassault negotiated with Ambani. We did not have a choice, we took the interlocutor we were given,” said Hollande.

The interview was published in French and excerpts of Hollande’s interview were tweeted by French Newspaper LeMonde journalist Julien Boissou.

Hollande’s reported statement contradicts Indian government’s claim that the agreement between Dassault and Reliance was a commercial pact between two private parties and the government had nothing to do with it.

Responding to the interview, Defence Ministry spokesperson tweeted: “The report referring to former French President Mr. Hollande's statement that GoI insisted upon a particular firm as offset partner for the Dassault Aviation in Rafale is being verified. It is reiterated that neither GoI nor French Govt had any say in the commercial decision.”

Congress leader Manish Tewari on Friday immediately retweeted this article and asked Hollande: “President (Former) Francois Hollande should also enlighten us how the price went up from 590 crores in 2012 to 1690 crores in 2015 per Rafale fighter jet? Escalation of a mere 1100 crores. I am sure the Euro equivalent would not be a problem to calculate.”

Responding to Congress attacks on the government for keeping Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) out of the Rafale deal under offset clause, both Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman have been constantly stressing that Dassault and Reliance got into an agreement on their own.

Former chairman and managaing director (CMD) of HAL, T. Suvarna Raju, in an interview to a media house claimed that Dassault and HAL had signed the mutual workshare contract and given it to the government.

He further said that the life-cycle costs of the aircraft would have been cheaper if the aircraft were made in India.

However, contradicting this, defence sources on Thursday claimed disagreements between HAL and Dassault Aviation had led to the collapse of negotiations between the two in the Rafale fighter plane deal during the UPA term.

  

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Comment on this article

  • Mangalurian, Mangaluru

    Sat, Sep 22 2018

    The official figure with Dassault Aviation is Rs 58,000 crore.

    The plant requiring huge tracts of land is to be set up in Nagpur, Maharashtra, and possibly costing the taxpayers another 50,000 crores for the land alone. But there are other costs.

    Some informal estimates the overall cost to the taxpayers is going to be Rs 130,000 crores.

    All favouring a single private company. No tender. No competition.

    What India needed was a little milk for the coffee. But the Gujju-bhai is handing over money to a private company to buy a 1000 cows.

    This is Gujju-bhai's "Mack in India".

    And the BJP supporters are more interested in a 10 (TEN) crore National Herald case.

    DisAgree Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • Abdul Jabbar, Mangalore

    Sat, Sep 22 2018

    Na Khaungaaa..Na khane doonga...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA..Mithun chakraborty na B grade movie da dailogue lekka undu...

    DisAgree Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Valerian Menezes, Kota

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    Is this the characteristics of a scamless government? The FM, DM have been fooling the people. This is achche din for Ambani and Modi government, not for common citizens.

    DisAgree Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Vishal, Mangalore

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    The cloud of uncertainty hanging over this Modi government is dissipating and it is becoming very clear that great injustice has been done to the nation by awarding the Rafale deal to Anil Ambani. It is unconscionable that Modi who rode to power promising a clean government has done this to the country. He has wrested the contract from HAL and given it to his Gujju Bhai. The chowkidar has abetted this crime at the cost of the nation and the worst thing is that his chelas are going around and lying to all of us that no favours were granted to Reliance. Nirmala Sitaraman who pretends as though she is the most honest and pious woman in the world and Arun Jaitley the inveterate liar that he is are doing their best to shield Modi. Modi on whom the nation had pinned a lot of hopes has let us down. The Congress was booted out of power for their corrupt ways and now it is time this corrupt BJP government is also shown the door. When the PM of a nation lies to his people, what moral right does he have to continue in power? We want the PM of this great nation to be a man of unimpeachable integrity. Unfortunately, Modi does not pass this litmus test. He has failed us. We must find a better person to lead this nation.

    DisAgree Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • DON, Udupi

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    No election slogans yet from BJP
    Anyhow they have to fool dumb supporters with Mandir issues

    DisAgree [2] Agree [18] Reply Report Abuse

  • geoffrey, hat hill

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    Sambith/Arnab your time starts now! Give us some free entertainment stuffed with lies!

    DisAgree Agree [21] Reply Report Abuse

  • myna, Mysuru

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    With the cat let out of the bag, will Mr Modi bare his 57" chest and speak the truth? The "Shah" of BJP Party should now stand up and speak the truth. Nirmala Sitharaman should either inform the nation or quit as Defense Minister.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ruben Pinto, Mangalore/Australia

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    To have a better product you should have at least two companies manufacturing the product. HAL going by it's past history, gave shoddy products, poor quality and way beyond budget. I support reliance as competition to HAL.

    DisAgree [16] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Aries, Mangalore

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    Really? You do realise that Reliance was not going to anything at all. They would probably be worse than HAL. Mr. anil Ambani acquired that particular company like 15-20 days prior the Rafale deal. If you have the brain cells to think and if you poke into Anil Ambani's Balance Sheet, you will realise that his intention probably was to get those funds for clearing his dues and use poor-substandard materials to construct those jets which by the way costs 1600 Crores per jet now for some reason. Very shade business.
    Please think,verify and comment. Most importantly verify your WhatsApp forwards and check whether it's true.

    DisAgree Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • T.DSILVA, Udupi

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    Non sense.
    If you think Ambani's RELIANCE is USAIN BOLT, and HAL is one legged runner, have enough confidence on BOLT to defeat one legged runner, and at least ask both to run in RACE.. You are the REFEREE who will ask AMBANI to Run alone in the track and declare him as a winner.
    Shame on YOU .

    DisAgree Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • Allen, Mangalore

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    Heros of "Quit India Movement " Lalith Mody, Nirav Mody, Mehul Choksy, Vijay Malya and?????

    DisAgree Agree [26] Reply Report Abuse

  • Salam, Manglore

    Sat, Sep 22 2018

    Ambani, adani, Sha......

    DisAgree Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • Aries, Mangalore

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    What nonsense is this?
    This central government should be impeached and banned from contesting elections for next few terms.
    Already the number of employment is reducing. Banks are getting merged. Now this useless government has stopped employment from getting generated at HAL.
    Had this deal happened at HAL many would have got employment.
    To add insult to the injury the government is playing with National Security for satisfying their political agenda.
    This government is not just corrupt but immoral in its functioning.
    It's quite shameful that everyone is supporting this government blindly.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [23] Reply Report Abuse

  • Praveen, Mangalore

    Sat, Sep 22 2018

    @Aries,

    Not everyone is supporting this government.
    Only bhakts are supporting. I wonder how they cannot
    differentiate between honesty and organised loot!

    DisAgree Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • Expat, MANGALORE

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    RAHUL GANDHI RIGHTLY SAID. MODI IS A THEIF. SPECIALLY SEETHARAMANNA AND JHOOTLEY. EVERYDAY THEY WERE MAKING FLASE STATEMENTS ON RAFALE, WE HAD NO HANDS IN CHOOSING RELIANCE.
    NOW THEY GOT EXPOSED. MODI SARKAR CHOR HAI.
    EVERY NEWS CHANNEL BROADCASTING THIS NEWS. EXCEPT ORNOB COW SWAMY. HE IS DISAPPEARED.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [28] Reply Report Abuse

  • CHARLES SALDANHA, MALAD-MALWANI

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    TRUTH WILL PREVAIL.DAYS ARE NOT FAR AHEAD...

    DisAgree [2] Agree [14] Reply Report Abuse

  • anthony, Mangalore

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    The Rafale deal will be like the bofors case for the BJP. the statement of the ex president of France clearly indicates that Reliance was favoured by Modi and that Jetley and Nirmala sethraman have been lying to the nation. They are in deep trouble. They may try to delay the inevetible of a Joint Parlimentary probe who knows a PIL in the Supreme court is also a possibility.

    What a joke Anil Ambani Reliance filed a defammation case against the Congress party. In hindsight it appears that Rahul Gandhi may be correct in calling them Chors.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [28] Reply Report Abuse

  • sri_elder, Karkala

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    Reliance is Indian company and not Italian mafia 😁
    It is ok...

    DisAgree [48] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Thomas, Udupi

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    Agree, does he has any idea about the aircraft? Is he making SIM card ?

    DisAgree [1] Agree [18] Reply Report Abuse

  • Salam, Manglore

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    You are not Eldar, brainless

    DisAgree [1] Agree [20] Reply Report Abuse

  • Swamy, Mangalore

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    Stealing foriegn company technology and putting Make-in-India sticker doesn't make it Indian!!!!????. Blind moron joker Bhakths.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [26] Reply Report Abuse

  • Allen, Mangalore

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    HAL is Indian company and Reliance is Gujarati company😁

    DisAgree [2] Agree [25] Reply Report Abuse

  • Karthik, Konaje/Navi Mumbai

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    But Rafale - Reliance is Gujju French mafia, the most obnoxious.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [17] Reply Report Abuse

  • SMR, Karkala

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    report Former HAL chief said HAL could have built Rafale fighter jets in India, contradicting the Defense Minister’s claim that HAL “did not have the required capability".

    When HAL can build a 25-tonne Sukhoi-30, a fourth-generation fighter jet that forms the mainstay of the air force, from raw material stage, the HAL has the ability to make advanced fighter jets and "would have been happy to give a guarantee” for the aircraft it produced.HAL had maintained the Mirage-2000 aircraft, manufactured by Rafale maker Dassault Aviation, for the last 20 years.HAL was also involved in the complex Mirage upgrade programme, then what are we talking about?

    1. Discrepancies in the purchase of 36 Rafale aircraft the Congress pointed out public exchequer has lost ₹41,000 crores. Why the purchase of an aircraft which UPA was buying for ₹526 crores at the rate of ₹1,670 crore by Modi government?
    2. Instead of “Public Sector Undertaking, HAL, offset contract worth over ₹30,000 crore and Life Cycle Cost Contract worth approximately ₹1 lakh crore” were "extended to a private entity of Ambani owned "Reliance" with zero experience of manufacturing aircrafts”. According to the Defence Procurement Procedure, Defence Acquisition Council is the only authorised body to clear the tender. Did PM Modi who has made unilateral decision in Paris has the authority?
    3. HAL which has been selected as the offset partner getting a contract of ₹36,000 crores from Dassault Aviation has been superseded. Although Dassault admitted in its corporate filing in France that HAL is its defence partner and how the company which was formed by Reliance before Prime Minister’s visit to France has been given ₹30,000 crore contracts?
    4.Nirmala Sitharaman herself had announced at a media briefing that the prices would be revealed. Even now she maintains that the NDA’s Rafale deal is 9% cheaper than what was negotiated by UPA. So, what is preventing her from coming clean?
    Modi Govt compromised the national security.
    JH

    DisAgree [4] Agree [25] Reply Report Abuse

  • Allen, Mangalore

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    Anil Ambani's flag ship company Reliance Communications Ltd (RCom) is already a debt ridden company and already in the verge of drowning! God save our Banks and the savings of investors.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [29] Reply Report Abuse

  • RonRon, Udupi

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    This is a monster Bofors scam, many skeletons may come up, wait n watch

    DisAgree [2] Agree [30] Reply Report Abuse

  • Nithin Poojary, Mangalore

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    I cannot stop laughing at the bhakts.....

    DisAgree [2] Agree [31] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rolf, Dubai

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    Dear poojery.
    Do not underestimate bakath.
    Thy are redy to sacrifice their welth and family to support ambani.
    Even by selling pickle and pakoda.
    Next Bakath election slogan.
    Save ambani to save india.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [25] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    BJP is now Stripped ...

    DisAgree [2] Agree [30] Reply Report Abuse

  • Mango, Mlore

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    It was always suspected, now proved and stamped, Modi is definitely behind it !!

    DisAgree [2] Agree [27] Reply Report Abuse

  • Salam, Manglore

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    Like jio university of ambani

    DisAgree [1] Agree [17] Reply Report Abuse

  • Sunil K, Mangalore

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    By the look of things Modi and his Cabinet should all resign and call for early Lok Sabha elections. If BJP waits till mid 2019 more skeletons will pop out.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [19] Reply Report Abuse

  • sri_elder, Karkala

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    HAL or reliance, what is the problem?
    End of the day both will be doing same job...
    Private players accountability will be much better...
    HAL already overloaded with work...
    Babus have no time...

    DisAgree [35] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rolf, Dubai

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    Sri elder .your getting older.
    Now a days your comment do not have entizuem like before.
    Seems like you are fed for waiting acha din.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [19] Reply Report Abuse

  • Surendra Poojari, Mangalore

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    Stupid person. Such idiots are in Karkala as well which is a place of intellectuals.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [18] Reply Report Abuse

  • geoffrey, hat hill

    Fri, Sep 21 2018

    Another big lie that government had nothing to do with the Reliance Defense exposed. But we are used to such lies by now and for bhakths it's second nature.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [20] Reply Report Abuse


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Title: No choice given: Ex-French Prez Hollande on Reliance getting Rafale deal



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