Getting tough on Scorpene

The leaking of data on Scorpene submarines, the future backbone of India’s maritime fleet, is undoubtedly grave. Armies the world over maintain a thick curtain of silence over the simplest aspects because deception is a vital component of warfare. The first Scorpene, greatly delayed already, was about to be commissioned when information about its capabilities was splashed all over the Internet. It is no consolation that this is an old trick in inter-corporate warfare. The government has so far managed the fallout well and has not got stampeded into precipitate action, although much depends on future revelations about the leak.

Even if the disclosure has emanated from India, a knee-jerk reaction is avoidable because that could hurt the country’s defence preparedness. Hacking has become an existentialist hazard. The only option is to install more robust firewalls. More important is to avoid banning the company. India’s defence capabilities in the past have been hit after the losing party used someone else’s shoulders to torpedo the winning bid. The intention was to scuttle the contract to re-enter the fray and besmirch the competitor’s reputation in the international arms market. Submarines are among the costliest toys around and India suffered immensely when kickback allegations forced the German HDW to pack up its bags. HDW was later given a clean chit and India had to make do with ageing submarines.

The French also must be asked some tough questions, especially because another of its company is poised to sell fighter planes. Scorpene’s makers had immediately insinuated that the leak had happened in India. This does not bode well for an enduring relationship with the Indian defence sector. It later emerged that the culprit was its former employee. The occasion is also right to ask the company to make good on its tall promises about export orders and the hike in costs. If it acts obtuse, India should show the door to the company that is to supply fighter planes. Not only will this keep the submarines makers in line, but also send a strong signal to other suppliers from the US, Russia and Israel.