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India says no decision yet on AgustaWestland deal
December 11, 2013 By Rueters
Dec. 11, 2013, Bangalore, India - India has not taken any decision so far on cancelling a $770 million helicopter deal with British-Italian company AgustaWestland after accusations it bribed officials, India's defence minister told parliament on Wednesday.
Defence Minister A.K. Anthony has in the past said he did
not believe AgustaWestland's denial it paid bribes to swing the
deal for the purchase of 12 helicopters for top politicians.
Ministry officials have said the deal was set to be
scrapped, but any push to tear up the contract could meet
resistance from other cabinet colleagues.
"While the operation of the contract for procurement of 12
VVIP/VIP helicopters has been put on hold, no decision has been
taken so far to cancel the contract," Antony said in a written
reply to the upper house of parliament.
He said the Central Bureau of Investigation had registered
cases against the AgustaWestland, Finmeccanica and four other
companies but investigations were still in progress.
AgustaWestland, a unit of Italy's Finmeccanica
says the deal must go to arbitration.
