Dassault Aviation Rejects Fresh Allegations of Corruption in Rafale Fighter Jet Deal

French aerospace major Dassault Aviation on Thursday rejected fresh allegations of corruption in the Rafale fighter jet deal with India, saying no violations were reported in the frame of the contract, days after French online journal 'Mediapart' alleged that the jet manufacturer had paid nearly one million Euros to an Indian middleman. According to the French media, the report was based on an investigation by the country's anti-corruption agency Agence Francaise Anticorruption (AFA).

Rejecting the allegations, a Dassault Aviation spokesperson said,"numerous controls are carried out by official organisations, including the French Anti-Corruption Agency.

No violations were reported, notably in the frame of the contract with India for the acquisition of 36 Rafales." The spokesperson said Dassault Aviation, since the early 2000s, has "implemented strict internal procedures to prevent corruption, guaranteeing the integrity, ethics and reputation of the company in its industrial and commercial relations".