Asserting there is ‘no scandal’ in the Rafale deal, Dassault Aviation, makers of the fighter jet, on Wednesday said it was also in the race for 110 aircraft for the Indian Air Force, for which the government had floated an RFI last year.
The RFI (Request for Information) or initial tender for the deal was issued by IAF in April 6 2018, the first mega procurement initiative for fighter jets. This was after the government scrapped the process to acquire 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) around six years ago. Instead, the NDA government, in September 2016, signed an Euro 7.87 billion (approx Rs 59,000 crore) deal with the French government for purchase of 36 Rafale twin-engine fighter jets.
