Rafale is good aircraft, will be a game-changer in Indian subcontinent: Air Chief BS Dhanoa

Rafale, the multi-crore combat aircraft embroiled in political controversy, go a major support today from none other than the Air Chief.

Addressing the annual press conference in New Delhi, Air Chief BS Dhanoa said that, ‘Rafale is good aircraft, will be game-changer when it comes to subcontinent. 

He also added that, ‘we have got a good package, got a lot of advantages in Rafale deal.’

While he totally backed the aircraft on its aerial prowess, the Air Chief refused to comment on the politics over the offset partner. 

‘It was Dassault that was to select offset partner and the government; the IAF had no role to play,’ the Air Chief said.  

Rafale has been at the centre of the biggest arm deal controversy in recent times. It all started with stunning claims by Former French President Francois Hollande saying that his government had no choice in picking the offset partner and the name of Reliance Defence was given to it by the Indian government. 

Julien Bouissou, the South Asia correspondent of French newspaper Le Monde, tweeted excerpts of an interview by Holllande to a news portal in which the former President contradicted the Indian government's assertion that it had no role in Dassault Aviation choosing Reliance as its partner.

The interview sparked a massive controversy in India, with many calling it a ‘Bofors’ moment for the BJP. However, the BJP has sternly defended the Rs 60,000 crore deal. 

Recently, the Congress had accused Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of "lying" about the number of fighter aircraft required by the Indian Air Force, and termed as "preposterous" her claim that the IAF does not have parking and maintenance facility to fly 126 fighter jets.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to "arbitrarily" reduce requirement of 126 fighter aircraft to 36 is "unexplainable". Surjewala reiterated his party's demand for a joint parliamentary committee report in the Rafale deal.