New Delhi, Mar 10 (PTI): The Congress on Friday accused the Narendra Modi government of "compromising" on national security and causing a loss of Rs 12,632 crore to the state exchequer on account of purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets.

Quoting from the annual report of Dassault Aviation, makers of the fighter aircraft, the party alleged that the company sold each jet to India at Rs 351 crore higher than those sold to Qatar and Egypt 11 months ago.

Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Randeep Surjewala said while 36 Rafale jets were sold to India at 7.5 billion euros in 2016, 48 jets were sold to Qatar and Egypt at 7.9 billion euros in 2015.

This amounted to Rs 1,670.70 crore per aircraft for India and Rs 1,319.80 crore to Egypt/Qatar. There was a difference of Rs 351 crore for each aircraft, the party claimed.

Addressing a joint press conference, Azad, Surjewala and former minister of state for defence Jitendra Singh asserted that the government had adopted complete opaqueness in the purchase of the Rafale fighter aircraft.

Azad asserted that had the Modi government not cancelled the deal struck by the UPA dispensation for 126 Rafale jets, it could have saved Rs 41,212 crore.

Accusing the prime minister of compromising on national security and interests, Azad asked why were only 36 fighter jets purchased instead of 126 jets for which international bids were called for.

Cong misleading nation: BJP

The BJP accused the Congress of "misleading" the nation on the Rafale purchase, saying the UPA dispensation never inked any deal for the fighter aircraft and sat on its file due to its "greed".

BJP spokesperson Anil Baluni rejected the allegations by the Congress as a "pack of lies" and part of its strategy to spread "untruth and confusion" against the Modi government.