Let me start by stating what is known to all that I served in the IAF for 2 decades and flew the Sukhoi and MIG and also took part in the Kargil operations. This is not to boast but state the reality. Coming to the Rafale deal, I will state its a murky deal and mostly Modi and the BJP have benefited. The Rafael is a fine aircraft but the IAF had projected a requirement 126 planes. This would have equipped 5 squadrons, the min required to face China + Pak. The Modi government whittled the demand to 36 ( One squadron) and the IAF I know was not happy. The reason goiven was that the planes were required urgently but everybody knows that even after 4 years of BJP rule not a single aircraft has landed in India.
The price of the deal was also escalated FIVE FOLD. Who did it? and what was the reason? In 2014 Dassault the manufacturer inspected HAL facilities and agreed that the ancillary work could be done by HAL, yet Mr. Modi gave a 300000 crore contract to Anil Ambani who was going to declare bankruptcy. HAL already manufactures teh sophisticated MIG 27 and services the Sukhoi advance air superiority fighter. What happened is treason but in India, one can get away with anything. I have written in articles on other sites- the Congress was bad but BJP is worse. It's criminal to reduce a requirement of 5 squadrons to One. I could die laughing on a bed of nails.