Paris: Reports say that unidentified persons broke into the Indian Rafale project management team office in France on Sunday night. Sources are saying that it might be an espionage attempt to retrieve sensitive data linked Rafale jets critical to the security of India.
Fortunately, no hard disc or document is missing.
Indian Air Force sources say,” There was a break-in into the Air Force Rafale project management team office which is located in a suburb of Paris in France. No hard disc or document has been stolen. More details are being ascertained about the motive.”
The Rafale project is headed by a Group Captain-rank officer who looks after issues related to 36 Rafale aircrafts. This includes the production timelines and training of Indian personnel who have to be trained for maintenance and flying operations of the plane.
India is acquiring 38 Rafale combat jets from Dassault Aviation to heighten the air defence of the country.
The Rafale team is situated in a building complex in Saint Cloud suburb of Paris and the police is investigating the case. It is believed that the break in could be a work of espionage to steal data as valuables or money are not kept in these offices.
Government sources say that the Defence Ministry has been briefed by the Indian Air Force and the French police are already probing the case.
India signed a Rs. 59,800 crore deal in 2016 with France to purchase 36 Rafale combat aircraft for meeting the shortfall in the Indian Air Force squadron.
According to military experts the jets will be critical to Indian Air Force for securing the country against threats from enemy nations. IAF Chief Dhanoa had suggested that Pakistani jets would not have dared to come close to LOC if the country had Rafale jets in its inventory.
