Rajiv Gandhi was a middleman for Swedish jets: WikiLeaks

[kurup]

What an innocent media we got, that out of hundreds of thousands of leaks, this particular cable comes to light just before the elections.

Anyway, becoming an agent for any company is not a crime, so why such a ruckus? Even more so when we see that although Indira Gandhi was one of the most powerful prime ministers, yet the deal fell through.

But most interesting is how all the Indian members here are displaying their herd mentality by very conveniently missing the part in the OP that states "that the US officials have “no additional information to either refute or confirm the above information"."

I think you missed this

Later, Saab-Scania lost out on the deal and was forced to withdraw from the “fighter sweepstakes” by the US as the deal was eventually secured the British SEPECAT Jaguar.

 

[MST]

wikileaks aka US tool to interfer politically.


welcome to the election time. Seems US had been influencing Indian elections too since many decades.

Madamji Elections are more than a year away in India. I guess if US had brains that it would waited another year. But sadly seems they are dumb as per your analysis.

 

[JanjaWeed]

Credibility of WikiLeaks is questionable, says Congress

congressi MOFO's .....

typical... denial mode 'on'. if something is not in their favor.. then question the credibility of the source. Wikileaks came out with 1000 times more explosive leaks on US & none of them were denied by the Americans.

 

[mirage2K]

South Asian politicians, corrupt to the core.

Its not only South Asia...politicians all over the world are corrupt

 

[arp2041]

How???? In a time before entering politics, being an entrepreneur is not a bad thing. Plus, they really don't know anything about his involvement at all. As the events show, he doesn't seem to have used his influence to push the deal through at all....all above board.

Then why Congress is even Defending itself???

Wikileaks report on Rajiv Gandhi all lies: Congress - Hindustan Times

 

[Luftwaffe]

Truck load of BS.

If rajiv gandhi was middlemen for the swedish then how can the swedish lost the deal when his party was at govt. and his mother was PM with full control and authority

Because US forced Sweden not to sell the Aircrafts with US Engines and other Technologies and because of hindustani pursuance of nuclear weapons development.

 

[Kazhugu]

How???? In a time before entering politics, being an entrepreneur is not a bad thing. Plus, they really don't know anything about his involvement at all. As the events show, he doesn't seem to have used his influence to push the deal through at all....all above board.

lol...
"entrepreneur".....

fancy word for "middle man"....


tapori lingo - dalaal.....

Does it occur to anybody that India DID NOT purchase the viggen? Why is everybody screaming corruption, when:

1) Rajiv Gandhi was not holding any position in the government, and was acting independently.
2) The jets were not bought anyway despite his lobbying?

lol arent u innocent....he was not holding any position..oh yeah...just that his mommy was the prime minister and his bro as was shadow pupeeteer....rajiv had absolutely no influence whatsoever.....

and the jets were not bought because the usa forced saab to withdraw.....not because indians did not choose it.....

 

[Kazhugu]

Truck load of BS.

If rajiv gandhi was middlemen for the swedish then how can the swedish lost the deal when his party was at govt. and his mother was PM with full control and authority

why ? because it exposes the CHORgress party ?

india must be the first country where it has given bharat ratna to a corrupt dalali rioter who was involved in the killing of 5000 Sikhs a bharat ratna.....

Then why Congress is even Defending itself???

Wikileaks report on Rajiv Gandhi all lies: Congress - Hindustan Times

dude...come to think of it......we indians deserve the CHORgress party......let them loot all they want....let them loot us bone dry..after we get socialism and secularism......

 

[acetophenol]

Whats special in this? I have read this Bhaarat Rakshak years ago.

 

[selvan33]

Gandhi brothers competed as middlemen for IAF deal: WikiLeaks


NEW DELHI: During the Emergency (1975-77), the Gandhi brothers, Rajiv and Sanjay, may have competed as representatives in at least one of the most lucrative aircraft contracts of the day, suggest the US embassy cables released by Wikileaks.

The US embassy had said in a cable on July 30, 1976 that the Maruti company controlled by Sanjay was negotiating for BAC (British Aircraft Corporation) in India, and in a later cable added that it believed the company was already working with it. BAC was in the race for two aircraft contracts in India—for supplying aircraft to Indian Airlines and as a joint developer of Jaguar fighter for the Indian Air Force's Deep Penetration Strike Aircraft (DPSA) project.

The US embassy cables — sent between 1973 and 1976 — suggest that Rajiv was working for Saab-Scania, whose Viggen aircraft was in the fray with Jaguar for the DPSA venture.

So, if the secret cables from the US embassy in India are to be believed, then the brothers were working for rival firms that were desperate to sell fighters to the IAF.

It is not clear if the brothers' rivalry over IAF's fighter deal had spilled over to family ties. However, the IAF's fighter contract went beyond the Emergency, and the final decision could not be taken until 1978, when the Janata government settled for Jaguar fighters.

It is not recorded if Maruti, or Sanjay Gandhi, financially benefitted from the deal.

Sanjay also probably worked for BAC in Indian Airlines contract. It had bid its aircraft 111-474 against Boeing's 737-200 and Fokker's F-28 Mark 4000. Finally, Boeing bagged the contract.

According to the US cables, Maruti was also keen to represent other aircraft manufacturers in India.

On August 27, 1976, the US embassy cabled Washington DC saying that K L Jalan, managing director, Maruti Heavy Vehicles, requested mission's assistance in "arranging a meeting with the president or high level official of Cessna aircraft to discuss the sale of Cessna aircraft in India". Jalan assured the embassy that his firm has an "immediate sale for two aircraft with a very promising outlook for 20 more units by fiscal year-end, March 1977".

Jalan requested that the Cessna's official make a special trip to India within the next 10 days to discuss financial details, the cable said.

Four days later, Jalan approached the US embassy again. This time he told an embassy official that Maruti wanted to contact Piper Aircraft, another aviation firm, too. "Please inform Mr Robert C Watson, Piper Aircraft Corp, Lock Haven, PA of the approach by Maruti," the cable to the headquarters said.
Gandhi brothers competed as middlemen for IAF deal: WikiLeaks - The Times of India

 

[MST]

Whats special in this? I have read this Bhaarat Rakshak years ago.

You mean you read the wikileaks cables about Rajeev and Sanjay G being Entrepreneurs.

 

[acetophenol]

You mean you read the wikileaks cables about Rajeev and Sanjay G being Entrepreneurs.

Not exactly about Rajiv Gandhi, but about the invlovement of Gandhi family and that made me feel something was fishy while i read it 2 years back.
Quote fro Bharat Raakshak

Averted hitch in acquiring Jaguars

When Mrs Indira Gandhi came back to power in 1980, her younger son Sanjay decided to scrutinise the Jaguar deal for suspected corruption. He was convinced that Viggen was the superior aircraft and that IAF had been influenced by the previous Government to opt for the Jaguar. He had no constitutional authority, except for his parentage. Nevertheless, he was invited by the IAF to examine its files. He was surprised to find that the IAF had throughout been steadfast in its intention to buy the Jaguar. The other two aircraft had been considered only for giving the semblance of multiple choices available to negotiators. Sanjay Gandhi was killed in a flying accident on June 23, 1980. No further doubts were ever raised on the wisdom of inducting Jaguars into the IAF.