India Lifts Ban On Italy Arms Firm Linked To AgustaWestland Chopper Scam. Conditions Apply!

India has ended the ban on business dealings with Leonardo SpA, with relation to the Rs 3,546 crore VVIP helicopter scam with AgustaWestland International since 2013-2014, as per TOI.

The defence ministry¡¯s decision is ¡°subject to certain conditions imposed on the company,¡± according to top government sources.

This means Leonardo SpA cannot make any commercial claims or file any civil suit against the Indian government for any deal in the past. Also, fresh business dealings will take place ¡°without any prejudice¡±.

AFP

Italy has repeatedly been asking India for the ban to be lifted in bilateral talks.

An early casualty of the scandal was the cancellation of India¡¯s proposed Rs 1,200 crore deal to buy Black Shark heavyweight torpedoes.

2012 was when allegations of Rs 360 crore being paid as bribes to Indian politicians, bureaucrats and IAF officers to swing the Rs 3546 crore deal to supply 12 AW-101 VVIP helicopters had first surfaced. The deal was from 2010.

AFP

The CBI had formed a case against former IAF chief Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi, Finmeccanica CEO Giuseppe Orsi, AgustaWestland chief Bruno Spagnolini and alleged middleman Christian Michel James.

The probe is still on.

Leonardo was among the 15 arms companies on the ¡°put on hold/suspended¡± list of the defence ministry till September this year.