Agence France-Presse,
NEW DELHI: Eurocopter, a unit of European aerospace giant EADS, denied that its deal to supply 197 helicopters to the Indian army had been officially cancelled.
The company's comments came after the Indian defence ministry said on December 6 that Eurocopter's successful tender for the helicopters had been scrapped and a new bidding process would be launched soon.
“There is no official statement regarding the cancellation. We have no official information,” Eurocopter's senior vice president for Asia sales, Norbert Ducrot, told reporters.
“I have never received any statement that I have read in the press,” he said, insisting that Eurocopter was still “in the price negotiation phase” with the Indian Ministry of Defence.
The ministry has not said publicly why the deal was scrapped, but senior defence sources and press reports have alleged Eurocopter used a local go-between despite an Indian ban on the use of middlemen in defence deals.
Eurocopter, a unit of European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), was also accused of presenting a civilian helicopter instead of a military version for statutory field trials by the Indian army.
But Ducrot noted that “I am sure the two other contenders have not been pleased” to have lost the bid, referring to US firm Bell and Russia's Kamov.
Press reports have also claimed the Indian defence establishment came under pressure from Bell.
Indian defence ministry sources had said Monday that Eurocopter was challenging the cancellation and that a visiting delegation of French military officials would also be discussing the issue with Indian counterparts later this week.
Eurocopter had been contracted to sell 60 complete helicopters to the Indian army, while the remaining 137 were to be assembled at state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd in India.
