Journalist Who Interviewed Hollande Sheds Light on Rafale Deal Row

Mediapart’s Antton Rouget says that the choice to go with Reliance Group was imposed on, by the Indian government

Journalist who interviewed Hollande speaks about Rafale

(Photo: The Quint)

Video Editor: Abhishek Sharma

The on-going row over the Rafale deal took a dramatic turn in the first week of October after former French president Francois Hollande, who was the acting president during the time the deal was signed, told French investigative website Mediapart that his government was not given a choice in selecting a local partner for Dassault Aviation.

Dassault Aviation promptly countered the statement saying that they did have a “choice” to work with Anil Ambani’s Reliance Group.

Antton Rouget, the journalist who interviewed Hollande, sheds light on the interview, and the controversy.

The choice to go with the Reliance group was imposed on the French. By whom? By the Indian government. 

Antton Rouget, Journalist, Mediapart

France's foreign ministry issued a statement saying that the French government "is in no way involved in the choice of industrial partners that have been, are, or will be selected by French industry groups."

The Indian government didn’t have the authority the competence or the legitimacy to impose a partner on Dassault. One should know that 8 billion Euros of the Rafale contract are Indian public funds that are, to the height of 50 percent, re-invested by Dassault into commercial operations on the ground through the compensation contracts. The Indian government could not ask Dassault to invest some of that money in Reliance Group that was set up and headed by Anil Ambani, who is, and it’s common knowledge very close to Modi, the Indian prime minister who is still in office today and stood at the heart of the negotiations over compensation contracts.

Antton Rouget, Journalist, Mediapart

The French company explains that it has committed to side deals in India worth 50 percent of the value of the jet purchases, and has created a joint venture with Reliance Group to deliver on those side deals.