Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.PCS 1/10/84; site ahuta.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxb!mhuxn!mhuxm!mhuxj!houxm!ahuta!jis1 From: jis1@ahuta.UUCP (j.mukerji) Newsgroups: net.politics,net.nlang.india Subject: Re: Recent Indian double agent story Message-ID: <433@ahuta.UUCP> Date: Fri, 8-Feb-85 11:09:05 EST Article-I.D.: ahuta.433 Posted: Fri Feb 8 11:09:05 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 9-Feb-85 06:45:29 EST References: <127@ihlpm.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Information Systems Labs, Holmdel NJ Lines: 28 Xref: watmath net.politics:7442 net.nlang.india:31 REFERENCES: <127@ihlpm.UUCP> I was in India when the spy scandal broke. My understanding is that the information that was being passed out related to the plans of the Government of India for the modernization of the armed forces and the telecommunication system, and perhaps info on what kind of incentives to appropriate government officials could clinch a large sale of arms or communication equipment to the Govt. of India. As far as I can tell it did not have much to do with selling the secrets of the east to the west and vice-versa. India is in the market for buying technology to modernize its defence and communication systems. Countries like France, Japan and the USSR are vying with each other to get a piece of the pie, because a lot of these purchases are going to be in hard currency. It is already known that a French and a Russian deplomat have been declared persona-non-grata in connection with this scandal. Also a large number (22?) of relatively high level secretaries in the Prime Ministers secretariate and several other strategic ministries have been arrested. In this connection, one may recall that India signed a large contract for telephone equipment with CIT-Alcatel sometime back over the strainous objections of many technocrats. There was an interesting article on that deal in one of the issues of India Today last year (I don't recall which at this moment). Any further information on this will be most appreciated. Jishnu Mukerji