NEW DELHI, March 6 (UPI) -- The Indian Defense Ministry has blacklisted six armaments companies following allegations of corruption among its major armaments suppliers.
The ban, which will list a decade, includes Singapore Technologies Kinetics Ltd., Israeli Military Industry and Germany's Rheinmetall Air Defense. Two Indian and one Russian defense contractors are also included.
The unprecedented action resulted from a corruption investigation conducted by the Criminal Bureau of Investigation of the former Director General of Ordnance Factories Sudipta Ghosh, a statement from the ministry said Tuesday.
"Consequent to the filing of the charge sheet in the case related to illegal gratification against Sudipta Ghosh, former DGOF, the firms were recommended for blacklisting by CBI on basis of evidence collected against them," Defense Ministry officials said.
The Indian firms named in the scandal are New Delhi's T.S. Kisan and Co. and Ludhiana's R.K. Machine Tool, while Russian firm Corporation Defense has also been targeted.
The companies have been banned from further business contracts with India's Department of Defense Production Ordnance Factory Board for the next 10 years.
