In its report tabled in Parliament today, the Comptroller and Auditor General also questioned the IAF trial evaluation report saying that even though neither of the two vendors were compliant with the qualitative requirements, an IAF team "recommended induction of AW-101 chopper of AgustaWestland".
"The reasons cited for conducting trials at vendor- specified locations instead of in India are not convincing enough.
The CAG said the Defence Minister agreed to trials at foreign bases only after an assurance by IAF that the evaluation team was fully competent to carry out the task assigned to it.
"What is the guarantee that fidelity and credibility of these trials will remain above board when they do not take place in the country," the report quoted Antony as having asked in a note on the procurement process after he was initially presented with the said proposal.