Govt rules out settlement with Bell Helicopters
The reopening of $800 million deal for purchase of 197 light choppers for the army from the US aviation company Bell Helicopters has again been put in cold sack.
By PTI |
NEW DELHI: Government on Wednesday ruled out the possibility of reaching any "settlement" with the US aviation company, Bell Helicopters, on reopening of $800 million deal for purchase of 197 light choppers for the army.
"No settlement has either been reached or proposed with the firm," Defence Minister A K Antony said in Lok Sabha today.
He told the House in a written reply that the helicopter offer by the US company was not found technically qualified as per general staff evaluation made by the army on the basis of field trials.
The minister, in reply to question by Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, said the US government had its concern over the disqualification of Bell Helicopters.
Antony had told the House last week that the government did not propose to put the deal on hold. He said procurement process on the purchase had not yet been completed.
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The European Consortium, EADS, was the other contender for the deal in which India proposes to purchase 60 helicopters off the shelf and assemble the rest 137 at HAL Bangalore under transfer of technology.Start a SIP with as low as ₹500 with ET Money App!
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