MEA Debunks Fake Letter Claiming Rafale Deal Leak, Warns Against Disinformation
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The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has fact-checked a viral social media post claiming that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar wrote to the French Embassy about a leak of information related to the Rafale deal. The MEA's official fact-checking account on X confirmed that the letter, which was posted by an account named 'Discourse Lab,' is fake. The letter, dated November 26, 2025, purportedly warned of unforeseen challenges arising from the unintended disclosure of communications regarding the Rafale naval aircraft timeline. The MEA has urged the public to remain vigilant against disinformation. The Rafale deal, worth ₹59,000 crore, was signed in 2016 between the Indian government and Dassault Aviation for the procurement of 36 fighter jets. The deal has been marred by allegations of inflated aircraft rates and corruption, including a French journal's claim that Dassault Aviation paid €1 million to Sushen Gupta as a middleman. The government has defended the deal, citing its faster delivery of fighter jets, while Dassault Aviation has maintained that the deal underwent rigorous checks without any violations reported.
