The Supreme Court has prodded the Centre again on the controversial Rafale fighter purchase terms. Earlier court directions had to do with the selection process, but more searching questions are now being asked, mainly on two issues: pricing and the offset deal between Dassault and an Indian private player. The government might take cover under the Officials Secrets Act on not disclosing the pricing of a deal already being fulfilled by India with the first payment made to Dassault. It would, however, be in everyone’s interest for the Centre to be more forthcoming on the deal than it has been — in Parliament and in the Supreme Court. Perhaps it’s too late to take the major Opposition leaders into confidence on the deal’s broader aspects.
There’s never been any doubt on the Rafale’s quality and weapon capabilities. But public money is being spent and questions will be asked. It’s up to the government to satisfy those who want to know more about the new deal, after the deal envisaged by the UPA government was altered. Also, India has a right to know if a bribe or unfair commission was built into the deal as a not so well-equipped private player, with little previous history of defence manufacturing, is among many with offset deals that will see money ploughed back into making parts and subsidiary systems in India. While disclosures may be a concern over the nature of tactical weaponry being revealed if the pricing details were to be made public, there is little need not to be forthcoming on the offset deals if suspicions are to be cleared.
