Cameron India Visit overshadowed by Finmeccanica bribery issue

by liamssoft | February 19, 2013 at 06:18 am

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Manmohan Singh, the Indian prime minister, publicly challenged Mr Cameron to provide British help to a corruption investigation involving AgustaWestland helicopters.

Mr Cameron is on a trade visit to India amid controversy over Finmeccanica, an Italian firm that makes AgustaWestland helicopters in the UK.

The Indian ministry of defence last week suspended a £480 million contract to buy 12 Westland helicopters after Finmeccanica’s chief executive was arrested in Italy over allegations he paid bribes to win the deal.

Mr Cameron this week said the row would not stop him lobbying for Westland helicopters, which are built in Yeovil, Somerset. He has also insisted that the problem is an Italian with no British involvement.

But at a joint press conference in Delhi today, Mr Singh spoke of his "very serious concerns" about allegations of "unethical" practices over the contract and suggested a British involvement in investigating the scandal.....Read more