"4 times higher than market price," claims Congress; Questions $3 billion drone deal with US

The Congress on Wednesday questioned what it claimed was four-times higher price than usual in - India's $3 billion deal with the US to procure 31 MQ-9B Predator UAV drones.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters in New Delhi, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said that: "During his state visit to the US, Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed a deal to procure 31 Predator drones. We fear what happened with the Rafale deal is being repeated with the Predator agreement."

Questioning the price of the Predator drones, Khera said, "What other countries are buying at less than four times, India is buying 31 predator drones at $3 billion."

He said that for the whopping price tag, the Defence Ministry had to release an official PIB clarification and Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had to clarify it on record.

"People of India need answers on the process," Khera said, adding that these drones are of outdated technology and being bought for four times higher price, that too after putting Rs 1,500 crore in DRDO for RUSTOM and Ghatak series drones.

He questioned that why no Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as reported by several news outlets, to have given a nod to General Electric manufacturing F-414 jet engines in India through 100 per cent manufacturing route in collaboration with HAL on June 14, but interestingly, there was no green signal given by CCS to the $ 3 billion drone deal with the US.

The Congress asked the government why no CCS meeting was held to decide on the predator drone procurement, and why higher prices were being paid for these drones.

Khera asked that when the Indian Air Force (IAF) was having issues with the higher prices then what was the urgency for the drone deal with the US.

More than IAF's requirement

He also said that IAF has a requirement of 18 drones only, then why the government has done a 31 drone deal. The Congress leader also questioned what was the relation of GE Atomic CEO with people in government.

"A complete transparency should be brought in the drone deal. The Modi government is known for putting national security at risk," Khera said.

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh took to Twitter and wrote: "Once again a murky defence deal undercutting indigenous efforts with the Prime Minister at the centre comes to the fore."

Ramesh endorsed six questions put forth by Khera and said, "Our statement and 6 specific questions to the Modi government on the purchase of 31 MQ-9B Predator UAV Drones amounting to Rs, 25,200 crores."

Meanwhile, to a question about a case being filed against BJP IT Incharge Amit Malviya in Karnataka, Khera said: "More FIRs should be registered against him (Amit Malviya). If anyone is responsible for playing with truth, facts, people's images and country's reputation, it is the BJP IT cell."

(With inputs from IANS)