Defence News
Reliance Defence Ltd refutes Congress allegations on Dassault Rafale Deal
Reacting on the allegation made by Randeep Singh Surjewala, Incharge Communication, AICC, Reliance Defence Limited, a Company owned by Anil Ambani on Tuesday refuted all the allegation leveled by Congress party and asked AICC to correct the facts.In a statement issued by the Company it is said that all allegations are unfounded and false. The statement said that it reserve the right to take appropriate legal action against any party that disseminates these defamatory allegations leveled by the AICC.On the question raised on the presence of Anil Ambani, owner of Reliance Defence Limited in France with PM Modi, Reliance Defence Limited said that Anil Ambani is a member of Indo French CEO Forum. In the said meeting, more than 20 Indian CEOs were present including Chairman of HAL D Suvrana Raju. Similarly, on the undertaking offset obligations of 30,000 crore with Dassault Aviation for 36 Rafel aircrafts, the Company said that the offset obligations are to be undertaken by Dassault Reliance Aerospace joint venture company and not by Reliance Defence. Reliance Group does not have any company by the name of Reliance Defence & Aerospace Ltd. Dassault Reliance Aerospace Ltd will be only one of the key players in the discharge of offset obligations. It further said that offsets of Rs 30,000 Cr covers obligations of other OEMs including Thales, Safran & MBDA and not of Dassault alone. Over 500 large, medium and small Indian companies will benefit from the offsets which are nothing but an export obligation for goods and services from India. Offsets referred to are spread over a period of nearly 10 years. Replying to a question, why did Prime Minister, Narendra Modi promote the interests of one industrial group i.e. Reliance Defence Limited, which has led to the company tying up and entering into a joint venture with Dassault Aviation, Reliance Defence Limited said that the Joint Venture between Reliance Aerostructure Ltd and Dassault Aviation is a bilateral agreement between two private companies. Dassault Aviation selected Reliance Aerostructure Ltd as its joint venture partner. The Indian Government has no role to play in this. Why has the joint venture for the biggest-ever Indian defence deal between Dassault Aviation and Reliance Defence Limited not gone through the proper procedure of approval by the Union Cabinet, Cabinet Committee on Security and Foreign Investment Promotion Board? On this, Relance Defence Limited said that Government policy issued on 24 June 2016 allows for 49 per cent FDI in the Defence Sector under the automatic route, without any prior approval. No approvals from the Union Cabinet or CCS were required for the formation of the aforesaid Joint Venture company under the automatic route.
