While India is studying the details, top officials in South Block told The Indian Express that the items identified are “not exactly hi-tech” They also cited the fact that the US is involved in the Chandrayaan project of which VSSC is a key participant.

Given that there have been cases of blacklisting former Indian scientists, entities and private firms in the recent past, the hope is that this will not emerge as a major stumbling block.

However, this is a rare occasion when Indian government officials and entities have been directly identified as accused.

“Sudarshan, 46, and Gopal, 36, both of Simpsonville, South Carolina, were arrested on Friday, March 23, and had their initial appearances in the U.S. District Court in Greenville, South Carolina. The arrests were the result of a 15-count indictment that a grand jury in the District of Columbia had returned and that was unsealed on Friday. They will have their first court appearances in the District of Columbia probably sometime next week,” Channing Philips, spokesperson for the US Attorney for District of Columbia, told The Indian Express today.

In a grand jury, a typical US pre-trial procedure where the proceedings are secret, a jury decides if there is enough evidence for a trial. An indictment, as in this case, allows prosecutors to arrest and move for a trial.

Sources said Washington has sent details of the case to New Delhi through diplomatic channels and sought further assistance in helping bring the investigations to close.

... contd.