New Delhi: The Centre has hit back at Congress for leveling "unfounded and misleading" allegations against the Rs 59,000 crore contract for 36 French Rafale fighters.

"The procurement of 36 Rafale aircraft through an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) with France to meet the urgent need of the IAF is strictly in accordance with the Defence Procurement Procedure in all aspects," said the defence ministry, in a two-page statement.

The MoD said the demand that it disclose the details and value of the contract of the Rafale deal, which was inked in September 2016 after the NDA government scrapped the deadlocked procurement process initiated by the previous UPA regime for acquisition of 126 fighters, was "unrealistic".

"The approximate acquisition cost of the Rafale aircraft has already been provided to Parliament. Provision of exact item-wise cost and other information will reveal, inter alia, details regarding the various customizations and weapons systems specially designed to augment the effectiveness and lethality of the assets, impact our military preparedness and compromise our national security," it said.

"Such details would also come under the ambit of the security agreement signed in 2008. Thus, in not revealing the item-wise details of the contract, the government is merely following in letter and spirit the confidentiality provisions of a bilateral India-France Agreement of 2008 signed by the previous government," it further said, adding that UPA government had refused to disclose the price of defence procurements, including in response to Parliament questions.

Congress has alleged the "non-transparent" deal was vastly overpriced, violated defence procurement procedures and included no transfer of technology (ToT).