Bofors scandal

The Bofors scandal was a political controversy over alleged bribes connected to India’s 1986 purchase of howitzers from Swedish arms maker Bofors.

Bofors: Bofors was a Swedish arms manufacturer that produced artillery and other military equipment. The company supplied the howitzers at the center of the alleged payments.
Political corruption: Political corruption is the misuse of public power for private or partisan gain. The scandal concerned alleged illicit payments tied to a government procurement decision.
1989 Indian general election: The 1989 Indian general election chose the ninth Lok Sabha and ended Congress’s parliamentary majority. The Bofors controversy became a prominent issue in the campaign against Rajiv Gandhi’s government.
C. B. I. v. Bofors: C. B. I. v. Bofors was a 2004 Delhi High Court decision concerning the agency’s prosecution of alleged recipients of Bofors payments. The ruling addressed the legal status of key allegations and the prosecution’s evidence.
FH77 howitzer: The FH77 is a Swedish 155 mm towed howitzer developed by Bofors. India’s 1986 contract concerned the purchase of these artillery guns.
Arms trade: The arms trade is the international buying and selling of weapons and military equipment. The Bofors contract was a major state-to-state arms purchase.
V. P. Singh: V. P. Singh was an Indian politician who served as prime minister from 1989 to 1990. He made the Bofors allegations a focus of opposition politics before becoming prime minister.
Delhi High Court: The Delhi High Court is the high court with jurisdiction over India’s National Capital Territory of Delhi. It issued a major ruling in the Bofors investigation and related prosecutions.
India–Sweden relations: India–Sweden relations are the diplomatic and economic ties between the two countries. The arms deal and its fallout strained relations between the governments.
Quattrocchi: Ottavio Quattrocchi was an Italian businessman who became a central figure in investigations into the Bofors allegations. Investigators examined payments associated with companies linked to him.

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