India's Rafale jet deal questioned

NEW DELHI, March 23 (UPI)

Indian Defense Minister A.K. Antony has asked his ministry for material on the Rafale jet contract to answer questions from Parliament.

Antony's request was in response to a letter last month from a member of the standing committee of Parliament on defense, which raised a number of questions.

The queries related to the evaluation process that saw France's Dassault Rafale emerge as the lowest bidder for the $20 billion combat fighter deal, The Hindustan Times reported,

Included in the Feb. 27 letter is the question of how the Rafale, which hasn't been bought by any other country, was chosen for the Indian air force.

The MP requesting the clarification, MV Mysura Reddy, is a Telugu Desam Party MP in Rajya Sabha.

Reddy wrote about the fighter's performance in the recent air campaign in Libya, noting that "the Rafale failed in precision bombing" before concluding, "The ministry … must ensure … there has been no manipulation in the evaluation process."

Antony replied, "I have asked the ministry to examine all the points raised by you," also marking Reddy's letter to Defense Secretary Shashi Kant Sharma to examine the matter.