"There is no specific investigation into India-related transactions." With these words, the defense ministry of New Delhi closed the mystery on Finmeccanica's activities in the Asian country. After receiving a report from their ambassador in Rome, the Indian authorities have thus denied their involvement. It is the Italian judiciary that "is conducting a preliminary investigation - continues the note - on statements regarding alleged financial irregularities concerning Finmeccanica and its subsidiaries in general". But the reference in this case is to the investigation already known in our country into an alleged round of Enav-Finmeccanica bribes.
As far as India is concerned, however, the story exploded a few days ago, when rumors began to circulate in the local media relating to Agusta Westland, a helicopter manufacturing company controlled by the Italian defense giant. In 2010 Agusta – which was then led by Giuseppe Orsi, today president and CEO of Finmeccanica – was awarded a contract for the construction of 12 helicopters in the Asian country. According to the first rumors, the corruption investigation today denied by New Delhi would have concerned precisely the procedures that led to the signing of this contract.
Finmeccanica's reply had already arrived on 27 February: "Agusta Westland - reads the note - is not involved in any irregularity relating to the supply of helicopters in India" and "no communication has been notified to companies and managers of the Group nor to Italy or India".
The first to talk about the case was Lorenzo Borgogni, the former head of internal relations at Finmeccanica who collaborated with the magistrates of Naples by revealing various information relating to the affairs of Marco Milanese, former adviser to Giulio Tremonti, at the time minister of the Economy.
