Paris: Responding to Rahul Gandhi’s allegations that French president Macron had told him that there was ‘no secrecy pact’ on the Rafale deal, France said a deal was signed in 2008. Earlier, Nirmala Sitharaman, the Defence Minister had pointed out that a deal had been signed during UPA 1 by erstwhile Defence Minister AK Athony.
In an official statement, the French government said that it had signed a deal in 2008 which legally binds the two states to protect the classified information. It added that these applied to the IGA concluded on 23 September on the acquisition of 36 Rafale aircraft and their weapons.
It said: “We have noted the statement of Mr Rahul Gandhi before the Indian Parliament. France and India concluded in 2008 a Security agreement, which legally binds the two States to protect the classified information provided by the partner that could impact security and operational capabilities of the defence equipment of India or France. These provisions naturally apply to the IGA concluded on 23 September 2016 on the acquisition of 36 Rafale aircraft and their weapons.”
It added: “As the President of the French Republic indicated publicly in an interview given to India Today on 9th March 2018, In India and in France, when a deal is very sensitive, we can’t reveal all details.”