The French

From Hindustan Times:

"Not content with the Indian Airlines deal that it had, Airbus went around town complaining bitterly, and loudly, about the Air-India deal that it missed. It shouldn’t have.

The government has set up a committee to look into the pricing of the $2-billion IA-Airbus deal for 43 aircraft. The official reason: the Finance Ministry had some issues which needed to be settled. The real reason (though no one is putting it like this) Airbus’s cussedness.

At the heart of the matter is the question raised over the prices offered by Airbus to other airlines in Asia. Some MPs had expressed the view that the French manufacturer had not offered IA the lowest price — compared to what it offered to other carriers in the region. When asked for comparative prices, Airbus had not provided the details, citing confidentiality agreements with the airlines."

80% of Airbus stock is owned by European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS). According to their website, EADS "has an integrated Headquarters with the Strategy, Marketing and Legal Affairs functions in Paris...", with the French holding company SOGEADE holding 30% of EADS shares.

30% owned by the French state, with their marketing, strategy, and legal affairs headquarters in Paris, and they are stiffing India on the Airbus deal.

In light of recent US/India strategic partnership, interesting, no?

I comment on this because while we focus on Iraq and Islamic extremism, strategic posturing continues.