The French defense contractor DCNS has implied that the leak might have occurred at India’s end. Damage from the leak is likely to affect Chile, Malaysia, Brazil and Australia. DCNS is also under contract to build 12 new submarines for Australia.

Even as India has launched an investigation into the massive leak that led to the release of highly classified information on the Scorpène-class submarines (manufactured by French shipbuilders DCNS) into public domain, accusations are being made that the leak may have taken place in India.

 

The leak, first reported by The Australian, includes sensitive information about the Scorpene submarines designed by French defense contractor DCNS for the Indian Navy. The documents detail the stealth submarines' sensors, torpedo launch systems, as well as communications and navigation capabilities.


Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar told IANS:"The first step is to identify if it relates to us... I've told the Navy Chief to find out all the details. Maybe, in a couple of days, I'll be able share with you."

 

Though not directly, the French defense contractor DCNS, according to The Australian, implied that the leak might have occurred at India’s end, rather than from France.  “Uncontrolled technical data is not possible in the Australian ­arrangements,” the company said. 

 

“Multiple and independent controls exist within DCNS to prevent unauthorised access to data and all data movements are encrypted and recorded. In the case of India, where a DCNS design is built by a local company, DCNS is the provider and not the controller of technical data.

 

“In the case of Australia, and unlike India, DCNS is both the provider and in-country controller of technical data for the full chain of transmission and usage over the life of the submarines.”


However, The Australian citing an unnamed source reported that it was told "the data on the Scorpene was written in France for India in 2011 and is suspected of being removed from France in that same year by a former French Navy officer who was at that time a DCNS subcontractor."


The Indian Defense Ministry later in the day in a statement said that "it appears that the source of the leak is from overseas and not in India."


Damage from the leak is likely to extend far beyond India -- Chile, Malaysia, Brazil have all ordered versions of the Scorpene. DCNS is also under contract to build 12 new submarines for Australia at a cost of $39 billion.