India rejects Amnesty report on copter sale to Myanmar

India on Monday dismissed as “completely baseless” a report by an international human rights watchdog saying that the country is selling Advanced Light Helicopters

India on Monday dismissed as “completely baseless” a report by an international human rights watchdog saying that the country is selling Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) to Myanmar in violation of the European Union’s arms embargo.

“These reports are baseless,” an External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said, refusing to comment in detail on allegations in the report.

Amnesty International and a group of European NGOs released a report on Monday saying that the “proposed transfer” of an HAL-manufactured military helicopter to Myanmar containing key components and technology from six European Union countries will undermine an EU arms embargo on the military junta.

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In a report titled “Indian helicopters for Myanmar: making a mockery of the EU arms embargo?” the watchdogs cite sources saying that the Indian government is planning to transfer the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) to Myanmar.

It elaborates that the Indian-manufactured helicopter would not be operational without vital components from EU member states and urges the need for stricter EU arms controls.

“The EU embargo explicitly states that no military equipment should be supplied, either directly or indirectly, for use in Myanmar—what’s the point in having an arms embargo if it is not going to be implemented or enforced?” Roy Isbister of Saferworld, one of the NGOs involved in the report, said.

The report has been sent to the EU Presidency along with a letter by Amnesty International asking the EU to initiate immediate consultations with the Indian Government.

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The letter says EU should cancel transfers of components for the helicopter and discontinue future production cooperation with India if the country “plans to supply or has indeed already supplied ALHs to Myanmar”.

The report says that Myanmar has a “widely-documented record” of serious human rights violations that include summary executions, torture and the recruitment of child soldiers.

“Should this transfer go ahead, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and the UK could be undermining an EU arms embargo on Myanmar in place since 1988,” the report says.

The report documents that “variants” of the ALH contain rocket launchers from Belgium, rockets, guns and engines from France, brake systems from Italy, fuel tanks and gearboxes from the UK and self-protection equipment from a Swedish company besides German help in the design development.