No leak from our side, say makers of Scorpene subs in India

The Mazagon Dock Limited, where the Scorpene submarines are being built, said on Friday that the data leak did not take place from its end and that it was assisting the Navy in the probe.

A day after the data leak on the capabilities of six highly-advanced submarines being built for the Indian Navy in Mumbai -- in collaboration with a French company -- came to light, an MDL official said there were stringent norms at MDL on data security.

“It needs to be verified if the leaked documents are authentic,” the official said, reacting to reports of the massive data leak.

MDL head Rear Admiral Rahul Shrawat was not available for comments.

French shipbuilder DCNS has provided technology for the Rs 23,562-crore project.

The MDL is scheduled to deliver the first of the six submarines to the Indian Navy early next year and the remaining are likely to be delivered by 2020.

According to media reports, the documents running into 22,400 pages detail the combat capabilities of French-designed Scorpene-class submarines.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had on Wednesday ordered the Navy Chief to go into the ‘entire issue’. A report is also being sought from DCNS.

“What I understand is there is a hacking. So we will find out all this,” Parrikar had said.

IMAGE: Indian Navy's Scorpene submarine INS Kalvari being escorted by tugboats as it arrives at Mazagon Docks Ltd in Mumbai. Photograph: Shailesh Andrade/Reuters