India's controversial Rafael fighter jets deal hit with yet another controversy

India's controversial Rafael fighter jets deal hit with yet another controversy

NEW DELHI - Indian Air Force Rafale fighter jet secret data may have been stolen in France, Indian media Report has surfaced.

Indian Air Force (IAF) is likely to send a forensic team to France to probe if there was any data deft during the break-in into the Rafale project management team office in Paris on May 19.

The IAF team, comprising 3 to 4 personnel, will check the computer systems of the Indian Rafale Rafale Project Management Team office in France, sources said. The Indian Rafale team office is in the vicinity of French Dassault Aviation office in Saint Cloud suburb of Paris.

The latest development comes after some unidentified people last Sunday had broken into the facility of the Indian Air Force's Rafale Project Management Team in a suburb of Paris.

The police is currently investigating the case. However, media reports said that that no hard disk or document were stolen. The main aim of the break-in could have been to steal data as valuables or money are not kept in these administrative offices.

Indian Air Force has already briefed the defence ministry about this matter and the French police authorities are probing the case.

The IAF Rafale project team looks after the manufacturing of 36 Rafale fighter jets.

The team, headed by a Group Captain rank officer, guards issues related to the 36 Rafale fighter jets, including the production timelines and the training of Indian personnel who have to be trained for maintenance and flying operations of the plane.

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