Rafale deal: Dassault is no stranger to corruption allegations

The Week, India ^ | November 02, 2018

[sukhoi-30mki]

On Friday, the campaign by Congress party chief Rahul Gandhi to highlight alleged irregularities in the Rafale fighter deal took a new turn as he accused Dassault Aviation of paying Rs 284 crore as “kickbacks” to a company owned by Anil Ambani.

This is the first time a senior political figure is levelling direct allegations against Dassault over the Rafale deal. Dassault has been a prominent supplier of warplanes to the Indian Air Force, starting with the Ouragan fighters in 1953, through to the Mystere a few years later and finally the Mirage-2000 in the 1980s.

Despite its renowned reputation as a manufacturer of high-quality warplanes that have been proven in multiple war zones for decades, Dassault Aviation has been accused of corruption in the past often, and been found guilty in some cases.

The 2015 edition of the Defence Companies Anti-Corruption Index (DCI) of anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International ranked Dassault in its lowest category (Band F), indicating very poor standards for monitoring ethical conduct and corruption. Dassault actually slipped in position from the 2012 DCI, which had ranked it in Band E. The next DCI is being compiled by Transparency International currently.

During the 2011 Aero India show, Dassault faced a controversy after reports claimed an Indian Air Force official had asked a company representative, Posina Rao, for a bribe of Rs 20,000 to secure a more “prominent” exhibit area for the Rafale aircraft, which was then being considered for a IAF deal for 126 aircraft. A media report in 2011 claimed the officer may have received up to 3 lakh euro.

[sukhoi-30mki]

Indian Air Force Mirage-2000s | Indian Air Force website

[ThinkingBuddha]

Dassault might get blacklisted, but no Neta and Babu will be held accountable.

[TStro]

I often deal with Indians in my line of work. Cash up front. If not, iffy if you get paid. Some are very honest, by most I’ve dealt with (motel owners) don’t pay vendors.