A French government source, with information on the ongoing Scorpene data leak case, has claimed that documents relating to Indian submarines were stolen from French naval contractor, DCNS, and not leaked.
The source further added that the information published so far showed only operational aspects of the submarines, a claim made by the Indian Navy on Thursday.
India and France have opened investigations after The Australian published documents about its Scorpene submarines being built in India on Wednesday.
“It is not a leak, it is theft. We have not found any DCNS negligence, but we have identified some dishonesty by an individual,” the source added.
The source said the documents looked to have been stolen in 2011 by a former French employee that had been fired while providing training in India on the use of the submarines.
The documents were not classified, and at this stage, appeared to only focus on the operational elements of the submarines, the source said.
Scorpene Data Leak: Navy Says Vital Parameters ‘Blacked Out’
A day after waking up to the possibility of one of the nation’s most critical defence projects being jeopardised because of a data leak, the Indian Navy on Thursday said that the documents posted on the website of the Australian news agency do not compromise the project as its vital parameters were ‘blacked out’ in the leak.
The Navy added that the Indian government has taken the matter up with the Director General of Armament in France and has requested him to issue an urgent investigation into the matter.
According to the statement, a detailed assessment of the potential impact of the leak is being undertaken by a high level committee constituted by the Defence Ministry which will help the Indian Navy take the necessary steps required to mitigate any probable security compromise.
Earlier on Wednesday, sensitive data on submarines designed for the Indian Navy by French shipbuilder, Direction des Constructions et Armes Navales (DCNS), which has customers around the world, was leaked.
Analysts claimed the leak is a blow to India’s Navy and could compromise its underwater combat capabilities. India has spent $3.9 billion on six conventionally powered Scorpene submarines which were built by DCNS and were inducted for trial in 2015.
DCNS had initially said that the leak appeared to have been at the Indian end. However, the Chief of Indian Naval Staff, Admiral Lamba had said on Wednesday that the source of the leak was overseas and not in India.
(With agency inputs.)
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