Govt has banned 6 defence firms from doing business: Bhamre

The government has banned six defence firms from doing business with it while 14 others have been put on the list of suspended companies, the government said today.

In addition, two other companies have been placed on the restricted procurement list, it said.

During the Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre said the Defence Ministry had put in place guidelines, which provide for levying of fines, suspension or banning of business entities.

According to the information shared with the members today, the defence ministry has put six entities on the list of banned firms.

These are: M/s Singapore Technologies Kinetics Limited, M/s Israel Militaries Industries Limited, M/s T S Kisan & Co Pvt Ltd, M/s R K Machine Tools Ltd, Ludhiana, M/s Rheinmetall Air defence (RAD), Zurich and M/s Corporation Defence, Russia.

According to the written reply tabled in the Upper House, among the suspended firms were M/s Denel, South Africa, M/s Shanx Oceaneering, M/s Inter Spiro India Pvt Ltd, M/s Experts Systems, M/s Unitech Enterprises, M/s Kelvin Engineering, M/s Agusta Westland International Ltd, Atlas group of companies including M/s Atlas Telecom and M/s Atlas Defence Services.

Other companies on the suspended list include M/s Leonardo S.p.A (erstwhile M/s Finmeccanica), M/s IDS, Tunisia, M/s Infotech Design System (IDS), Mauritius, M/s IDS Infotech Ltd, Mohali, M/s Aeromatrix Info Solution Pvt Ltd, Chandigarh and M/s Offset India Solutions (P) Ltd (OIS) and its group of companies, the details provided by the government said.

According to the details, two firms - M/s Rolls Royce Pvt Ltd and its allied and subsidiaries and M/s Tatra Trucks A.S. of the Czech Republic.

Responding to questions, Bhamre said in some cases a review is held.

Citing the case of IAI of Israel, he said after a closure report in the court, the restrictions were removed.