India's military modernisation could be threatened if the government responds to corruption allegations surrounding the purchase of 12 AgustaWestland AW101 helicopters by banning Italian parent company Finmeccanica from the national market.
Concerned service officers told IHS Jane's that proscribing AgustaWestland or Finmeccanica, which is under "serious" consideration by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), will degrade the country's operational preparedness.
"The MoD's move to cancel the helicopter contract is the first step in blacklisting its manufacturer," a senior military officer said.
20/02/13 Rahul Bedi/IHS Jane's
