Mumbai: Anglo-Italian defence firm Agusta Westland continues to participate in bids to procure choppers for the Indian Navy and Coast Guard, despite the company being investigated over bribery allegations in another contract.
Agusta Westland remains in the running for the $200-million Coast Guard deal for 16 ship-launched helicopters. Agusta Westland has submitted bids for Naval Utility Helicopters of the Navy and twin-engine helicopters proposal of the Indian Coast Guard. The Government has said it has no plans to bar Agusta Westland from bidding for further aviation contracts, even though the company is under scrutiny in Italy and India. The earlier case refers to light helicopters for VIP transport.
Though India has put on hold the $733-million deal for 12 three-engine AW 101 helicopters signed in February 2010, better known as Agusta Westland VIP contract, because of bribery allegations, the Anglo-Italian aerospace company continues to bid for new contracts.
21/05/13 Amrita Nair-Ghaswalla/The Hindu
