No scam in Rafale deal, fighter jets will be delivered to India in two years, says Dassault CEO Eric Trappier

Bengaluru: There is no scandal with Rafale deal and 36 fighter planes will be delivered to the Government of India in next two years, said Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier on Wednesday.

“There is no scandal with Rafale. We were asked for 36 Rafale jets which we are going to deliver to India in the next two years. The first jet will be delivered this year in September and then one fighter jet will be given every month,” he said. Talking to media persons in Bengaluru, Trappier said: “We will deliver more Rafale planes if India wants so. We will be more than pleased to deliver and we feel confident for the future.” “If India wants to buy more and strengthen its defence capability, then 100 is a good number,” he said.

Éric Trappier in Bengaluru on Wednesday. ANI

“I wanted to be an in-charge of the industrial process in the company as I have the capability to master the quality, standards, and timing of delivery. We are more than proud to show today in our stand what we have produced in Nagpur, the first Falcon 2000 cockpit manufactured under the 'Make in India' policy in one year,” he said.

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On being questioned when will begin the offset from India to France as a part of this deal, Trappier said: “The offset was signed at the same time of the contract G-to-G. Then we started to work with these partners. For instance, we started the process in Bengaluru. I conducted meetings with mid-size companies to set up a partnership in India. We started to buy from Indian companies and other places here. We are working and we are on time.”

Trappier further said that revealing about the pricing details is the responsibility of the Government of India, and not his. “I have been working for India for the last 30 years. I was never nervous. I am even more confident as we are working straight,” he said. Replying to a question if he has any message for Congress president Rahul Gandhi who has been targeting the Centre for the scam in Rafale deal, Dassault Aviation CEO said: “I don't have a message for Rahul Gandhi. I have a message to the partnership between India and France and India and Indian Air Force.”

Earlier in the day, Ambassador of France to India Alexandre Ziegler rejected the charge of corruption in multi-billion US dollar Rafale jet deal and said that "very good" aircraft is expected to join the Indian Air Force within six months.

Speaking to ANI, he said: “I do not see any scandal. What I see is a very good aircraft which has been purchased by the Government of India. The aircraft will probably come here (Bengaluru) first and will join the Indian Air Force within six months.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led Central government had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France in 2016 for the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets. The fighter jet is a twin-engine medium multi-role combat aircraft, which security analysts believe can be a ‘game-changer’ for India’s defence system. Attacking Prime Minister Modi-led government, the Congress and other opposition parties have alleged that there was corruption in the high-profile deal and Reliance Defence, owned by industrialist Anil Ambani, had been signed as the offset partner by aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation even though the company had no previous experience.