The Rafale deal signed by the Modi government to procure 36 fighter jets from France's Dassault was 2.86 per cent cheaper than what was negotiated during the UPA regime in 2007, the much-awaited CAG report on the controversy-hit transaction showed on Wednesday.
Without disclosing pricing details in absolute terms, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) also said the deal was 6.54 per cent expensive in terms of engineering support package and performance-based logistics for the Indian Air Force, while the training cost has got 2.68 per cent expensive than the 2007 offer.
The CAG also flagged the drawbacks of settling for a 'Letter of Comfort' rather than a sovereign guarantee by the French government and said Dassault benefited due to absence of such guarantees.
The report was silent on the issue of offset partners, which has been a key point on which the Congress has been attacking Narendra Modi-led government and has been alleging corruption in Anil Ambani's Reliance Group getting one of the offset contracts.
Soon after the report was tabled in Parliament, Union minister Arun Jaitley said the lies of the Congress and Opposition parties stand exposed as the CAG report outlines that the 2016 deal terms were lower in price, faster in terms of delivery, while ensuring better maintenance and lower escalation.
On India-specific enhancements, the CAG said the NDA deal was 17.08 per cent cheaper than the one negotiated by the then UPA government in 2007, while the weapons package offered in the new deal was 1.05 per cent cheaper, the 157-page report said.
For the overall price, the CAG has said the new deal is 2.86 per cent cheaper.
Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman has earlier said the deal struck by Modi government was 9 per cent cheaper than what was negotiated by the UPA.
The Congress, on the other hand, has been alleging that the price increased to Rs 1,600 crore per aircraft in the deal signed by the Modi government, as against Rs 520 crore during UPA's time.
The Modi government has been facing a torrent of attacks by Congress and its chief Rahul Gandhi over the fighter jet deal.
Rahul on Monday had dubbed the CAG report on the Rafale deal as 'Chowkidar Auditor General' report.
'That CAG report is a worthless report. I would term it as a 'Chowkidar Auditor General Report'. It is Narendra Modi's report, written for the chowkidar, on behalf of the chowkidar, for the chowkidar, by the chowkidar,' he said.
On Wednesday, Jaitley hit back, saying: 'It cannot be that the Supreme Court is wrong, the CAG is wrong and only the dynast is right. Satyameva Jayate.'