Former French President Francois Hollande hints of crony capitalism in the Rs 59,000 crore Rafale deal sparks a fresh political controversy over suggestion that Anil Ambani was favoured. By now, the lethality of the Dssault Rafale are beyond question. The Indian air force itself gave the Rafale's capabilities a thumb up in an unusual public endorsement. Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa defended the purchase of only two squadrons of the aircraft as opposed to the seven squadrons of the aircraft the IAF had projected in 2005, citing past precedent of emergency purchases of Mirage 2000s and MiG-23s. A week later, Air Force Deputy Chief Nambiar flew a Rafale at a French air base to show that the IAF was on board and in front seat when it came to purchase. The Cost Negotiation Committe (CNC), which actually worked out the price of the deal, was headed by Deputy Chief Air Marshal Bhaduria in 2016 and not the joint secretary (Air), an an IAS officer, as is the norm. Crucial CNC meeting were held in Vayu Bhayan, not in the defence ministry headquarters in South Block a kilometer away.
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