The details relating to the Rafale jet purchase deal are not revealed in the national interest, said Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre on Thursday.
Bhamre's statements come after the Congress delegation meeting with the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) wherein urged to carry out a forensic audit of the "Rs 60,150-crore" Rafale fighter jet deal and bring all "facts" on record to enable Parliament to fix accountability for the alleged scam in the contract.
In his statement, Bhamre said; "Our basic price of Rafale aircraft is nine per cent less than that was decided under the UPA government. When we purchase a raw Rafale aircraft, it is only for transportation but to convert it into a potent air defence aircraft, a lot of things to be added", the minister said.
The minister added that if the government revealed the additional things to the media, then our enemies will no longer require to deploy a secret service agency to find out details of the deal.
Dismissing the opposition's claims of irregularities in the deal, Bhamre said that all norms and procedures were followed.
Talking about the depleted number of squadrons of the Indian Air Force, Bhamre said if India needs to fight on two fronts, the air force needs a total of 42 squadrons.
"Currently we have 33 squadrons. This operational criticality is there since 2001, but the Congress, despite knowing the country's requirement, did not take any decision (to purchase new aircraft) till 2013," he said.
When the Congress-led UPA did not negotiate any deal, on what basis it was saying that the price fixed then was lower, the minister asked.
"The Modi government has an impeccable record in the last four years, and that is why the opposition is frustrated. They just need an issue before the elections," he said.
The allegations levelled by the opposition are manufactured, baseless and not in the interest of the country, he said.
Earlier on Thursday, Bhamre inaugurated Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Memorial Industrial Training Institute (ITI) in Pune Cantonment. It is the first ITI under the Ministry of Defence situated in a cantonment area.
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