Rafale deal: Anil Ambani writes to RaGa, counters Rafale charges
In a letter, Anil Ambani has written to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, he maintained that malicious actors with vested interests "misinformed, misdirected, and misled" the Indian National Congress on the controversial Rafale deal. The letter comes at a time when Gandhi has been trying to build a corruption case against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government. Here's what he wrote.
The letter comes as a response to RaGa's repeated allegations
Ambani's second letter to RaGa provides a point-by-point rebuttal of charges levelled by him against the government and the Reliance Group. Gandhi had alleged that the new deal for 36 Rafale jets under the NDA government had resulted in a loss of Rs. 41,000cr. He also alleged that Ambani's Reliance Group had received undue favor from the government.
Ambani's counter to RaGa's charges pertaining to manufacturing
Countering Gandhi's allegation that Reliance had received a Rs. 45,000cr favor through the deal despite "lack of experience" in defense manufacturing, Ambani clarified that "not a single component" of the 36 Rafale Jets was being manufactured by his group. The jets would be manufactured in France and exported to India, and Reliance would only handle the offset exports and export obligations.
RaGa's allegations are a "figment of imagination"
"There is no contract from the Ministry of Defense to any Reliance Group company related to the 36 Rafale aircraft and the allegations of Reliance benefitting by thousands of crores is a figment of imagination, promoted by vested interests," wrote Ambani.
RaGa has his facts wrong, says Ambani
RaGa had also alleged that Reliance Defence Limited had been formed 10 days before the Rafale deal announcement in April 2015, implying that it had been set up for the deal itself. Responding to this allegation, Ambani said that RaGa had his facts wrong, and that Reliance had decided to go into defense manufacturing in Dec'14, and Reliance Defence was incorporated in February 2015.
Excerpts from Ambani's counter to RaGa's allegations
"The Reliance Group announced its decision to enter the defense manufacturing sector in December 2014-January 2015, months before the intention for purchase of Rafale aircraft. In February 2015, we informed the Indian Stock Exchanges of the companies we have incorporated," wrote Ambani.
