New Delhi
16 July 2007
Sale of attack helicopters by India to the military regime in Burma
will undermine the arms embargoes on Burma by the European Union and the United
States, according to a report released by European and international non-government
organisations including Amnesty International and Saferworld.
The report, titled "Indian helicopters for Myanmar: Making a mockery of the EU arms
embargo?", suggests that the proposed transfer to Burma of the Advanced Light
Helicopter (ALH) containing components and technology from as many as six European
Union (EU) countries threatens to undermine an EU arms embargo on Burma since 1988.
The US, in turn, imposed an arms embargo on Burma on June 16, 1993 in light of the
human rights abuses being committed by the Burmese military rulers.
The NGOs called on the EU to begin immediate talks with India to prevent any "future"
sales of the ALH, components or military technology to Burma. Amnesty also called for
curtailing all future production cooperation or arms deals with India if banned items or
technology ended up in Burma.
India has dismissed the report as baseless. The spokesman of the Ministry of External
Affairs, Mr Navtej Sarna, on Monday told a news conference that it was "completely
baseless".
The 22-page report observes that defence co-operation between India and Burma has
increased in 2007 as India seeks to counteract both what it describes as Burma-based
insurgent groups operating in north-eastern India, and China's increasing strategic
presence in Burma.
It notes that about 29 companies in nine countries across four continents have been
involved with the development, licensed production or supply of components or
munitions for the ALH. About 10 of these companies are based in the six EU member-
states of Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and the UK.
The ALH has been a collaborative effort between the German company Messerschmitt-
Bölkow Blohm (now Eurocopter Deutschland) and HAL. Its rocket launchers are produced
in Belgium; rockets, guns and engines in France; brake systems from Italy; fuel tanks
and gearboxes from the UK; and self-protection equipment from a Swedish company.
German firms manufacture controls for the engine.
According to the report, Amnesty International wrote to HAL and the Government of India
in March this year. Another letter was sent on June 1 to HAL but there has been no
response from it. It quotes the Ministry of Defence as suggesting that "there is no
proposal from HAL to supply ALHs to Burma."
// Where parts of the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) originate: //
Belgium:
Rocket launchers - produced by Forges de Zebrugge FZ
France:
Engines - produced by Turbomecca
Guns - produced by GIAT
Rockets - from Matra Bae Dynamics
Germany:
Supplies parts - SITEC Aerospace manufacturers components for flight/engine controls
Eurocopter involved in the development of the ALH
Italy:
Brake systems - from Elettronica Aster SpA
Sweden:
Self-protection equipment - supplied by Avitronics, a company co-owned by Saab AB
United Kingdom:
Hydraulic package - supplied by APPH Precision Hydraulics Ltd.
Floatation equipment and self-sealing fuel tank systems - supplied by FPT Industries
Fuel tanks, flotation equipment and internal gearbox - supplied by GKN Westland
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