Will work in close cooperation and full transparency with India: France on Scorpene leaks

Asserting that authorities in Paris are taking the Scorpene submarine data leaks very seriously, French Ambassador Alexandre Ziegler said here on Wednesday that France will work on very close cooperation and full transparency with Indian authorities to get to the bottom of the matter.

"I've seen the report in the press. What I can tell you is that the French Authorities are taking the matter very seriously and working very seriously with DCNS and we are trying to assess the extent, the nature and the sensitivity of information that may have been leaked. We will work in this with very close cooperation and full transparency with Indian authorities," Ziegler told the media here.

Earlier, French naval contractor DCNS, the company manufacturing the vessels, said on the matter is being thoroughly investigated by the proper French national authorities for Defense Security.

"DCNS has been made aware of articles published in the Australian press related to the leakage of sensitive data about Indian Scorpene. This serious matter is thoroughly investigated by the proper French national authorities for Defense Security," the company said in a statement.

It further asserted that this investigation will determine the exact nature of the leaked documents, the potential damages to DCNS customers as well as the responsibilities for this leakage.

Meanwhile, Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has branded the entire incident as a case of hacking.

"This (the report) came to my knowledge at 12 midnight, it is a case of hacking. Navy Chief has been asked to analyze as to what exactly has been leaked. First step is to identify if its related to us, and anyway its not all 100% leak," he told ANI.

The Indian Navy in a statement said on Wednesday that it appears that the source of leak is from overseas and not in India

India has ordered six Scorpene-class submarines in a deal worth $3 billion. The first of the submarines built at the Mazagon Docks in Mumbai began sea trials in May.

Earlier today, a report in Australian media revealed that sensitive information related to India's Scorpene submarines has been leaked, with French shipbuilder DCNS, which designed the submarine, facing a leak of documents spreading over 22,000 pages.

According to The Australian, the leak details the entire secret combat capability of the six Scorpene-class submarines that French shipbuilder DCNS has designed for the Indian Navy.

As per reports, the leak includes details of the submarine's underwater sensors, above-water sensors, combat management system, torpedo launch system and specifications, communications system and navigation systems.