Defended Rafale deal as did not want it go the Bofors way: former IAF Chief B S Dhanoa

Former Chief of Air Staff BS Dhaa on Wednesday welcomed arrival of Rafales in India and said he defended deal to procure multi-role jets twithstanding political controversy to stop it from going Bofors way.

alleged pay-offs in procurement of a batch of Bofors guns in mid-1980s and its subsequent political ramifications h severely crippled defence procurement as bureaucrats were apprehensive of taking decisions on military purchases.

"I defended deal as I did t want it to go Bofors way. We were against politicisation of defence acquisition process. It was a question of capability of Air Force," Air Chief Marshal (retd) Dhaa told PTI.

On Wednesday, India received first batch of five Rafale jets, nearly four years after it inked an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 of aircraft at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore. IAF received Rafale jets 23 years after it imported Sukhoi-30 Ks from Russia in 1997.

"I am very happy for Indian Air Force as it ( Rafale) has given Air Force a tremendous capability jump and techlogical asymmetry over our versaries something which was missing for such a long time," Dhaa said.

Dhaa was succeeded by Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhauria as Chief of Air Staff in September last year.

Air Chief Marshal (retd) Arup Raha, under whose tenure mega deal was inked, said induction of fleet will bolster IAF's capability, but ded that country needs at least 126 combat jets as envisd earlier.

"It is a good aircraft. It is one of best in region. It is going to bolster IAF's capabilities in terms of aero power which has been dwindling for quite some time as re has been induction of combat jets for quite sometime," he told PTI.

" Rafale jets will increase deterrence value. Our aim is t to fight a war unless we are forced to. It is to basically deter our versaries and say that we will respond if you get on our wrong side," he ded.

former IAF chief said India needs to significantly enhance its air power capability and that government should consider procurement of more Rafales or similar jets.

"We need at least 126 aircraft of similar kind. If we get Rafale, it will be better as inventory manment will become easier. It will also help maintenance, training and deployment," he ded.

Ar former Chief of Air Staff Fali Homi Major said 36 Rafales will boost India's aerial prowess, but having at least two more squrons will d tremendous capability to country's air dominance capability.

" arrival of Rafales is certainly significant. It is a very good beginning after a very very long break. Rafales will boost our strike capability. It will be great if we get two more squrons," he said.

One squron comprises of at least 18 aircraft.

Both Dhaa and Major said Rafale is a much superior aircraft than China's J-20s.

" world does t kw capability of J-20s. You cant really kw and you will never kw. Rafale is a much more superior aircraft," Major ded.

Rafale aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons.

European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile, Scalp cruise missile and MICA weapons system will be mainstay of weapons pack of Rafale jets.

IAF is also procuring new generation medium-range modular air-to-ground weapon system Hammer to integrate with Rafale jets.

India began process to buy a fleet of 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) in 2007 after defence ministry, heed n by AK Antony, cleared proposal from IAF.

contenders for mega deal were Lockheed Martin's F-16s, Eurofighter Typhoon, Russia's MiG-35, Sweden's Gripen, Boeing's F/A-18s and Dassault Aviation's Rafale.

After a long-drawn process, bids were opened in December 2012 and Dassault Aviation emerged as L-1 (lowest bidder). In original proposal, 18 planes were to be manufactured in France and 108 in India in collaboration with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.

re were lengthy negotiations between n UPA government and Dassault on prices and transfer of techlogy. final negotiations continued till early 2014 but deal could t go through.

NDA government inked a Rs 59,000-crore deal on September 23, 2016 to procure 36 Rafale jets from French aero major Dassault Aviation as an emergency acquisition.

deal was sealed primarily to check depleting combat capability of IAF as number of its fighter squrons h come down to a worrying 31 against authorised strength of at least 42.