Rafale deal: Defence Ministry’s dissent note had nothing to do with pricing, says ex-Defence secy

New Delhi: After Congress President Rahul Gandhi alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi of parallel negotiations with French govt in the Rafale deal to benefit industrialist Anil Ambani; G Mohan Kumar, the former defence secretary during the Rafale deal negotiations put up a strong clarification for the Defence Ministry stating that whatever has been brought out in the media report on Rafale deal by the Hindu has nothing to do with pricing of the deal. It (MoD dissent note on #Rafale negotiations) had nothing to do with price. It was about sovereign guarantees and general terms and conditions: G Mohan Kumar, Defence Secretary at the time of Rafale negotiations to ANI. ‘The Hindu’ report published the ‘note of dissent’ that was recorded on November 24, 2015 on a note prepared by SK Sharma, Deputy Secretary (Air-II), and endorsed by the Joint Secretary & Acquisition Manager (Air) and the Director General (Acquisition) in the Ministry. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Office conducted "parallel negotiations" with France on the multi-billion dollar Rafale fighter jet deal and the defence ministry had expressed strong reservations to it, English daily The Hindu has reported . A note from the defence ministry accessed by the newspaper - where the ministry records its objections over PMO's involvement in the deal -- has given the Congress and other opposition parties enough arsenal to take on  PM Modi and the BJP, whom they accuse of signing an overpriced deal for 36 Rafale jets to help industrialist Anil Ambani.