Scorpene Submarine data leak: Indian Navy takes up matter with French Govt

In an official statement, the government stated that it is seized of the reported leak of documents related to the ongoing Indian Scorpene submarine programme as reported in sections of the media.

The documents that have been posted on the website by an Australian news agency have been examined and do not pose any security compromise as the vital parameters have been blacked out, the state claimed.

The Indian Navy has taken up the matter with Director General of Armament of the French Government expressing concern over this incident and has requested the French Government to investigate this incident with urgency and share their findings with the Indian side.

An internal audit of procedures to rule out any security compromise is also being undertaken.

"The matter is being taken up with concerned foreign governments through diplomatic channels to verify the authenticity of the reports," the statement said.

The Government of India, as a matter of abundant precaution, is also examining the impact if the information contained in the documents claimed to be available with the Australian sources is compromised.

The detailed assessment of potential impact is being undertaken by a high level committee constituted by the Ministry of Defence and the Indian Navy is taking all necessary steps to mitigate any probable security compromise.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had also sought a report from the Indian Navy on the matter.

Scorpene  submarine is being designed by a French company, which has also won bid for Australia.

The news of the leak was first reported by The Austrailian, an Australian newspaper.

"The most lethal conventional submarine ever contemplated", has been leaked, the newspaper The Australian reported on Wednesday.

India has placed an order with the French Defence contractor DCNS for designing the Scorpene exclusively for India involving an expenditure of 3.45 billion dollars.

"Marked “Restricted Scorpene India”, the DCNS documents ­detail the most sensitive combat capabilities of India’s new  submarine fleet and would provide an ­intelligence bonanza if obtained by India’s strategic rivals, such as Pakistan or China," The Australian reported.

Among the 22,400 pages of leaked documents, there were also thousands of pages on the Scorpene's sensors and thousands more on its communication and navigation systems.

As many as 500 pages were on the torpedo launch system alone.

The DCNS website says the Scorpene would be "the recipient of France's most sensitive and protected submarine technology and will be the most lethal conventional submarine ever contemplated."