Australian investigative journalist Cameron Stewart, who broke the Scorpene data leak story, speaks exclusively to 'The Hindu'.

Cameron Stewart, investigative reporter with The Australian, tells Josy Joseph that no Navy would want such data as has been leaked on the Scorpene submarine system to be in the public domain. “

My information is that the data went from a DCNS employee in France, were taken by him to Southeast Asia, where probably he used it to establish his credibility, and did not give out the information. That person for various reasons consolidated the data, and a private company ended up having the data. Then the data was transferred to a company in another country, and in some point it was posted to an Australian company, without any security care. There are lots of holes in this story, but that is what I have been told. I do not believe that the leak came from India, but it came from France,” he says.

Where did you get the story?

The information that I have is that the leak came from a DCNS employee in France in 2011. I should stress that it is what I have been told, but I have no way of independently confirming the information.

My information is that the data went from the DCNS employee in France, taken by him to Southeast Asia, where probably he used it to establish his credibility, and did not give out the information. That person for various reasons consolidated the data, and a private company ended up having the data. Then, the data was transferred to a company in another country, and in some point it was posted to an Australian company, without any security care.

There are lots of holes in this story, but that is what I have been told. However, I do not believe that the leak came from India, but it came from France.

How serious is the breach?

It depends who has the information. I think the data is potentially very damaging. Massive amount of data, it goes dot by dot, line by line, the whole combat system of Scorpene submarine, what their frequencies are to listen in, endurance, range etc these are all things that no navy will want to have in public domain.

I am not in a position to know if the data has fallen into the hands of a rival government, or a strategic rival. It may be of no panic at all if it has not fallen into the hands of a rival intelligence. However, if it is with a rival then the Scorpene submarine project is seriously compromised.

Do you suspect corporate rivalry behind the leak because DCNS is out there in the market for very big contracts, and has recently signed up in Australia to make submarines?

I don’t know that. It was a very hard fought competition in Australia between France, Germany and Japan. I have not found any evidence of corporate revenge. Again, I cannot be conclusive about it.

I have had no evidence that this is some sort of deliberate plan to sabotage the French company by a competitor. It may be the case, but I have no evidence.

What has been the reaction to the story?

There has been a strong reaction to it, even in Australia. The Prime Minister and the ministry have tried to play down the significance to Australian programme. There is no reason to worry that the Australian submarine programme is compromised. The question is quite simple: If it has happened to India why not to Australia? I think that would be the question for a while.