Narendra Modi's Rafale jet deal was a kickback scam
| Narendra Modi's Rafale jet deal was a kickback scam | |
|---|---|
| UNSUPPORTED | |
| "The Modi government's 2016 purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets from France involved corruption and kickbacks that benefited the prime minister or his allies." | |
| Domain | Business, Finance & Scams |
| Tactic | Conspiracy Theory |
| Era | Current |
| First seen | 2018 |
| Origin | Congress party leaders, especially Rahul Gandhi, in the run-up to the 2019 general election |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-30 |
| Further reading: books on Business, Finance & Scams | |
In September 2016, India signed a deal to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France's Dassault Aviation for about €7.9 billion, replacing an earlier plan to buy 126 jets. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused Narendra Modi of corruption, pointing to the price and to Dassault's choice of Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence as an offset partner. "Chowkidar chor hai" (the watchman is a thief) became a campaign slogan.
Courts and auditors in India did not find wrongdoing. A French judicial investigation opened in 2021 has not produced charges against Indian officials.
What the evidence shows
- Supreme Court. In December 2018 the court dismissed petitions seeking an investigation, finding no reason to doubt the decision-making process. It rejected review petitions in November 2019.
- Auditor. India's Comptroller and Auditor General reported in February 2019 that the deal was 2.86 percent cheaper than an earlier offer, though critics questioned the comparison.
- French inquiry. After reports by the French outlet Mediapart alleging payments to a middleman, a French judge was appointed in 2021 to investigate possible corruption. No charges against Indian officials have resulted.
- Apology. In 2019 Rahul Gandhi apologized to the Supreme Court for wrongly attributing "chowkidar chor hai" to the court.
Why it matters
The deal raised legitimate questions about procurement and the choice of an offset partner. The specific allegation of a kickback to the prime minister has not been supported by the investigations so far.
Sources
- Supreme Court of India, Manohar Lal Sharma v. Narendra Damodardas Modi, judgment of December 14, 2018, and review judgment of November 14, 2019.
- Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Report No. 3 of 2019: Capital Acquisition in Indian Air Force, February 2019.
- Reuters, "France opens judicial probe into Rafale jet sale to India," July 2021.