NEW DELHI — India’s defense ministry has barred AgustaWestland and parent company Finmeccanica from a biennial military exhibition as the two companies are “under investigation” for breaching a pre-contract integrity pact concerning the now-canceled purchase of VIP transport helicopters for the Indian air force. “As per our policy, any company under blacklist ... [or] under investigation will not be allowed to participate in the DefExpo,” says G.C. Pati, ministry secretary for defense production.

NEW DELHI — With general elections expected before May, corruption scandals over high-profile defense deals, and a deflated rupee, Indian Defense Minister A.K. Antony, who has cultivated an image of integrity, has taken a go-slow approach on vitally needed military equipment projects.

India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is adding inspectors and other technical personnel to address year-old and still-unresolved audit findings that led the FAA to downgrade the country’s International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) rating to Category 2. The downgrade, announced Jan. 31, means that Air India and Jet Airways cannot expand service to the U.S., nor can they add U.S. code-share deals to existing flights. The carriers currently combine for 28 weekly flights between the two countries, including 21 by Air India.