Saket Gokhale will get fact-checked by PIBFactCheck after claiming that MQ-9B drone deal is overpriced
4 min read
On Sunday, twenty fifth of June, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) fact-checked the claims being made on social media relating to the continuing acquisition deal of MQ-9B drones between India and the United States of America. On its half, the nodal company of the Government of India discovered that the claims had been uncalled for, had ulterior motives, and had been aimed toward derailing the due acquisition course of.
Going a step additional, From its official fact-checking Twitter deal with, PIBFactCheck, the company explicitly referred to as out the repeat offender and well-known fake-news peddler Saket Gokhale for making these deceptive claims.
.@SaketGokhale has made a declare relating to the acquisition of MQ-9B drones #PIBFactCheck
➡️This declare is #Misleading
➡️This is the value quoted by the US govt. Price & the phrases of buy are but to be finalised & are topic to negotiations
Read: https://t.co/mw1TTeeTzi pic.twitter.com/cKfxigzn6m
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) June 25, 2023
In the tweet, it shared the Ministry of Defence’s official assertion relating to the continuing deal and procurement course of. Along with this, the company outrightly clarified in two factors that the claims made by TMC spokesperson Gokhale are deceptive. Further, it said that the purported worth doing rounds in media reviews is the value quoted by the US govt.
The company categorically said that the Price & the phrases of buy are but to be finalised & are topic to negotiations.
On June 24, Gokhale posted a collection of tweets, claiming that the drone deal is price $3.1 billion, and in contrast with another offers for the MQ-9B drone to assert that it’s overpriced. He claimed that whereas the drone’s checklist worth is $56.5 million per drone, the UK had bought it at round $12.5 million per drone.
He had claimed, “Just like the Rafale deal, it seems that Modi Govt is AGAIN purchasing US drones at a SUPER OVERPRICED cost.”
Just just like the Rafale deal, evidently Modi Govt is AGAIN buying US drones at a SUPER OVERPRICED price.
Question:
👉 Why is Modi Govt buying overpriced drones from US when cheaper comparable variations can be found?
👉 Whatever occurred to “Atmanirbhar Bharat”?
(5/5)
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) June 24, 2023
Along with it, he additionally posted some media reviews which claimed that the armed forces didn’t need the drone or wished it in lesser numbers, however Modi govt is 31 of them underneath the stress of the US govt.
However, the government of India has clarified that no worth has been fastened for the acquisition, and it is going to be determined solely after negotiation, after evaluating with costs paid by different international locations for the drone. The defence ministry launched an announcement earlier right this moment saying that whereas US has quoted $3.072 billion for the deal, it has not been accepted and finalised but.
Hi @PIBFactCheck:
– Are information reviews in Indian & international press claiming the deal worth as $3bn+ for 31 drones incorrect? Why is your launch coming now?
– Govt’s Defense Acquisition Council has sanctioned $3bn+ for 31 drones. Are you disputing that on the report?@Rajeev_GoI:… https://t.co/V0vF9YNCVm
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) June 25, 2023
Even after the PIBFactCheck tweet, Saket Gokhale caught to his declare that the deal is price $3.1 billion. He cited information reviews claiming the quantity, selecting to disregard the defence ministry clarification saying that media reviews are incorrect.
He even ‘challenged‘ PIB to challenge an announcement saying that the value reported by the information shops is flawed is deceptive, utterly ignoring that the PIB has already accomplished it. In reality, the PIBFactCheck tweet included the hyperlink to the defence ministry assertion revealed on the PIB web site, which particularly mentioned that the reviews claiming the value are pretend information. While he responded to the tweet, he selected to disregard the assertion linked within the tweet.
Official assertion of the Ministry of Defence
Earlier within the day, the Defence Ministry refuted claims that the MQ-9B drone cope with the US is price $3 billion. It additionally emphasised that the value has not been finalised but. The ministry said that some speculative reviews emerged in sections of social media referring to the value and different phrases of buy.
It mentioned, “These are uncalled for, have ulterior motives and aimed at derailing the due acquisition process. Price and other terms & conditions of the purchase are yet to be finalised and subject to negotiations.”
The Ministry additional said that whereas issuing the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) on June 15 for the deal, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) famous the estimated price of three,072 million US {dollars} offered by the US Government, nevertheless it has not been accepted and finalised.
The Ministry mentioned, “However, the price will be negotiated once policy approval of the US Government is received.”
The Ministry additionally asserted and ensured that the Ministry of Defence will examine the acquisition price with the perfect worth supplied by General Atomics to different international locations.
India is buying 31 drones made by General Atomics in a government-to-government deal, which incorporates 16 Sky Guardian and 15 Sea Guardian drones. According to media reviews, a few of the drones shall be assembled in India, and a few of them shall be armed.
General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper, also referred to as Predator B, is a High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS), developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. Originally developed for intelligence gathering, reconnaissance and surveillance, it’s also used for offensive functions as it might probably carry weapons, bombs and missiles.
The air drive model of the drone is known as SkyGuardian, and its maritime model is known as SeaGuardian. India Navy already operates two MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones, taken on lease.
