Congress President Rahul Gandhi has accused the Modi Government of favouring private player Anil Ambani’s Reliance Defence Limited over state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limted (HAL) as offset partner for the ₹30,000 crore Rafale fighter jet deal.

Terming the Congress charges false, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman speaking in Bengaluru on Sunday, September 30 had blamed the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government for not finalising the deal with Dassault Aviation and failing to seal the deal with HAL.

However, the Karnataka Chief Minister has now said that the Narendra Modi Government had all the powers to protect the interests of HAL and questioned why the Rafale order was not given to HAL.