Antony targets govt, questions Rafale deal

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 23

Former Defence Minister AK Antony today questioned defence preparedness of the country under the Narendra Modi-led government, raising questions on the deal to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France, massive defence expenditure cuts and downsizing of the  strategic Mountain Strike Corps, raised in 2013, to check China's border presence.

"Has Prime Minister Narendra Modi consulted the Finance Ministry before going ahead with the Rafale deal and were defence procurement procedures followed?" Antony asked, breaking his silence for the first time since the deal hit a roadblock over pricing issues and had to be left in abeyance under the previous Congress-led UPA regime.

Antony's remarks came close on the heels of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar saying that Antony's questioning on the file killed the Rafale tender process during UPA's term. During the Congress rule, the opposition BJP had repeatedly targeted Antony for slow procurement leading to compromises with the country's defence preparedness.

The former Defence Minister accused the government of compromising national security” by drastically reducing the defence budget and also by significantly diluting Moutnain Strike Corps.

His press briefing, ahead of the completion of PM Modi's first year in power, was all about questioning NDA government's defence policy which, he said, had “compromised on India's security”.