‘Scorpene leak might be part of economic war’

NEW DELHI: Trade rivalries are being suspected to be behind the leak of 22,000 pages containing secrets about the Scorpene submarines being built in India with French collaboration.

The technical and strategic details of the submarines were published in The Australian newspaper and according to agency reports leaked document covers a variety of information including the secret stealth capabilities of six new Indian submarines — including frequencies at which they gather intelligence at, what noise they make at various speeds and their diving depths, range and endurance.

Further, the document also highlights safe zones on board the submarine where crew members can safely speak without fear of detection by the enemy. There are also reams and reams of data on the vessel’s underwater sensors (4,457), its above-water sensors (4,209), its combat management system (4,301), its navigation systems (2,138), its communications system (6,841) and 493 pages on the Scorpene-class submarine’s torpedo launch system.

Soon after the information of leak spread, French naval contractor DCNS said it may have been the victim of “economic warfare”. Asked if the leak could affect other contracts, a company spokesperson said it had come against a difficult commercial backdrop and that corporate espionage could be to blame. The six Scorpene submarines are being built at a state-run shipyard in Mumbai and the first one was expected to go into service by this year end.

Meanwhile in New Delhi, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said: “I understand there has been a case of hacking. We will find out what has happened.” India has a fleet of 13 ageing submarines, only half of which are operational at any time, opening up a gap with China which is expanding its maritime presence in the Indian Ocean. This leak has triggered a full-blown political war between the Central government and the Opposition parties with the latter going on to term it as one of the biggest defence disasters of recent times. The Opposition demanded a probe of the entire matter. The Congress sought a probe panel to be constituted for the investigation. “The audit has to be headed by a sitting SC judge. The government can have representatives, defence forces, intelligence agencies as members. It is intriguing how clean chits are being meted out without the matter even being looked at by anybody,” added Congress communication department incharge Randeep Surjewala. He added: “A security audit or commission of enquiry will only establish the source of the leak, which cannot be established by a mere denial on part of either the Defence Minister or the Indian Navy.”

AAP spokesperson Sanjay Singh added: “How can ‘clean chits’ be given at such an early stage to anyone by the government without conducting a proper inquiry? This highly sensitive matter is related to India’s security and a proper probe should be conducted.”

JDU spokesperson K C Tyagi said: “This scandalous leak has put a question mark on India’s maritime security.”