Just weeks ahead of commencement of deliveries to the Indian Air Force in the UK (the acceptance phase before shipping to India), the
AgustaWestland AW101 VVIP helicopter contract is up for some pretty rough attention. Following the
arrest of a businessman in Switzerland earlier this month, the Indian MoD has decided to seek details of the Italian government's probe into allegations of commissions paid to swing the Indian deal.
The investigation, which the MoD had earlier dismissed as nothing to do with the Indian deal, is now understood to have much to do specifically with the VVIP copter contract with the IAF. In April this year, the Defence Minister had
warned of consequences if a probe revealed any malpractice.