MUMBAI: British Prime Minister David Cameron arrived on a three-day trade-focused visit in India on Monday, aiming at to win new investment in the face of fierce global competition as a corruption scandal engulfs an Anglo-Italian helicopter deal.
Cameron’s trip comes amid a raging scandal over the procurement of 12 helicopters for use by VIPs in 2010, which were bought for $748 million (560 million euros) from Anglo-Italian firm AgustaWestland.
After an investigation in Italy suggested kickbacks were paid via middlemen to secure the deal, India has taken steps to cancel the contract and has started its own police investigation.
The British prime minister is likely to face further questions about the contract — the helicopters are being manufactured in southwest Britain — with the Indian government keen to be seen to be acting tough on a new graft scandal.
“We did ask (Britain) in November and they said that since the Italians are investigating let us await the outcome (of that probe),” Indian foreign ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin told AFP.
Indian investigators will travel to Italy as early as this week as part of an inquiry into the matter, a spokesperson for the Delhi-based Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said Sunday.
Cameron, who is accompanied by a large business delegation, will be far keener to address new areas for trade and investment between Britain and its former colony, whose economy has slowed sharply but still offers vast potential.
The British leader has targeted a doubling of trade with India from 11.5 billion pounds ($17.8 billion, 13.4 billion euros) in 2010 to 23 billion pounds by the time he faces re-election in 2015.
