On 29.8.2018, I wrote at this blog, in Post No. 009: Click to go to 009 that :"France must come out openly and transparently, about Indo-French Rafael Purchase Deal of 36 Aircraft". Within one month, the Former French President has come out. We must be grateful to him. He is reported to have said:--
"...We didn’t have a say on the subject. It was the Indian government which had proposed this service group and Dassault which negotiated with Ambani. We did not have the choice. We took the interlocutor who was given to us. That’s why, in other circumstances, this group could not be avoided in spite of everything. ..."
The Incumbent French Government has tried to wash-off everything, by passing on the buck to the Aircraft Seller "Dassault", indicating that the choice of Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence and Engineering Ltd. was made by the Aircraft Seller "Dassault", and the Dassault owned it up.
ybrao-a-donkey's personal views which are not intended to be imposed on others:
What I wrote in post No. 009 at this blog has exactly come out. I shall quote it here:--
Though the Contract may be between the French Government and the Indian Government, the French Supplier is a Private Company. French Govt. is not the Manufacturer. Indian Buyer is not a Private Company. It is not that French Government is purchasing the Aircraft from the French Seller and reselling it to Indian Government. In the Negotiations made by UPA Govt. earlier, the Public Sector Company Hindusthan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) a Public Sector Company was expected to maintain and service the Aircraft. Replacement of the Govt. of India Company HAL with Private Sector Company floated by Anil Ambani makes the Deal "Private Sector" at both ends.
In this Capitalist World, it will be simplistic and naive to believe that French Politicians are taking active part in the Promotion of Sale of Rafale Aircraft, only with Patriotic Zeal, of benefiting their country, and creating Employment for their Youth. French Aircraft Makers may be doing some favors to the French Politicians, for promoting the Sale of their Aircraft to India and other Foreign Countries. And the costs of such favors the French Suppliers may be loading in the Prices quoted to Foreign Buyers. These details may become a part of French Politics, and at appropriate time when roles get reversed, when today's French Opposition Parties become French Ruling Paries, they may reveal, the Indoor Management that took place. Or some French Media Organisation may blurt out.
It is also possible out of love for their own country, French Politicians and French Media may never reveal scams which may take place. In case of Bofors Scam relating to purchase of Guns by India from Sweden, it was the Swedish Radio which revealed it in 1987, while the Congress Government in India, wanted it to be hidden. Similarly AugustWestland Helicopter Scam relating to purchase of Italian Helicopters by India from Italy, has to light during the Proceedings of an Italian Court.
In the present case also, French Government, French Media should help by announcing to the World, about what has happened.
Now the "MediaPart" has helped. I greatly appreciate the work of Shri Antton Rouget, their Journalist, and his Professionalism and Enthusiasm.
Whenever frauds/scams take place in India vis-a-vis the European countries, somehow it is the Foreign Media which has always brought out the details, while Indian Governments tried to keep facts as closely guarded secrets. There is a Telugu proverb: "ati rahasyam baTTa bayalu" English: Extreme Secret will become an Open News. All of us must realise, hiding may not really help.
Incomplete. Shall add/delete/modify.
