News reported that after the arrest of the former the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) Chairman Sudipto Ghosh on alleged charges of corruption, the government of India has blacklisted seven defence firms. The blacklisted firms are both foreign and national, namely Israeli Military Industries (IMI), Singapore Technology, Media Architects (Singapore) and BVT Poland, the indigenous ones are HYT Engineering, R K Machine Tools and T S Kishan and Company Pvt Ltd. These firms were expected to provide different capabilities to the Indian defence. For instance, the IMI had signed contract worth of Rs. 1200 crore for Nalanda project. Similarly, the Singaporean firm was suppose to bag contract of 155mm artillery guns for the army. BVD Poland was expected to be engaged in maritime engineering and naval architecture. The Indian firm T.S. Kishan and Company and HYT Engineering and R.K. Machine Tools, were involved in supplying spare parts1.

• 1. “India Blacklists Seven Defense Firms for Alleged Involvement in Corruption”, on June 6, 2009 at http://www.india-defence.com/reports/4419