07 March 2013

News Story: India - No Decision on Blacklisting AgustaWestland


By VIVEK RAGHUVANSHI

NEW DELHI — Indian Defence Ministry officials say they have made no decision to blacklist AgustaWestland despite investigations over possible corruption in a $720 million VVIP helicopter deal.

Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony told the Indian Parliament in a written reply on March 6: “The operation of the Contract has been put on hold and further payments to M/s Agusta Westland, U.K. stopped. No decision to blacklist the Company has so far been taken.”

The MoD asked India’s anti-fraud agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), to probe the helicopter deal in which the Indian Air Force bought 12 helicopters from AgustaWestland.

Read the full story at DefenseNews