Says Information Leak Can Help China, Pakistan
NEW DELHI Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has refused to reveal the exact full price of each Rafale aircraft fitted with weaponry, saying that “information leaked about the weapon systems can ultimately help Pakistan and China.”
Sitharaman said in ‘Aap Ki Adalat’ programme on India TV that 36 Rafale fighter jets being purchased by government from France were nine per cent cheaper than the price negotiated by the previous UPA government.
According to an India TV release, she described as “white lie” the allegation made by the Congress that the approval of Cabinet Committee on Security was not taken for the Rafale deal.
“Saraasar jhoot hai (It’s a plain lie). The PM visited Paris in 2015, where a memorandum of interest was signed. There was no need for CCS approval for this. Only after the prices were finalized, the Inter-Governmental Agreement was signed in September 2016, and for this the final approval of CCS was taken in August that year,” she said.
Asked what happened to assertions by BJP leaders that if the party came to power, it “will get 10 heads in reply to two beheadings (by Pakistan Army)”, Sitharaman said. “kaat to rahe hain, display nahin kar rahen” (heads are being cut off, but are not being displayed).
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