Germany says collapse of Indian Airbus deal 'nasty surprise'

Germany's ambassador on Friday described as a "nasty surprise" India's decision to scrap a tender for six refuelling planes, for which Franco-German group EADS was front-runner.

India promised earlier this month to stage the global tender again after saying the 60-billion-rupee (1.31-billion dollar) price for six Airbus A-330 mid-air refuelling aircraft quoted by EADS was too high. Airbus is an EADS company.

"It came as a little bit of a nasty surprise for us and very disappointing that it was rejected at the political level," Germany's ambassador to India, Thomas Matussek, told reporters in New Delhi.

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