<p>The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said it does not have any information relating to the Pegasus spyware controversy.</p>.<p>"The alleged matter that has been referred to is under investigation by a committee set up by the Supreme Court. No information is available with the Ministry of External Affairs on this matter," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.</p>.<p>He was responding to a volley of questions on a recent <em>The New York Times </em>report that claimed India bought the Pegasus spyware as part of a $2 billion defence deal with Israel in 2017.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/kareem-seeks-chairman-s-ruling-on-rajya-sabha-not-admitting-pegasus-amendment-1077725.html" target="_blank">Kareem seeks chairman’s ruling on Rajya Sabha not admitting Pegasus amendment</a></strong></p>.<p>The media report said Pegasus and a missile system were the "centrepieces" of a roughly $2 billion deal of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear between the two countries.</p>.<p>It also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel in July 2017 -- the first by an Indian prime minister.</p>.<p>"As regards the prime minister's visit to Israel in 2017, MoUs were signed, the details of which are publicly available," Bagchi said.</p>.<p>An international investigative consortium had claimed last year that many Indian ministers, politicians, activists, businessmen and journalists were potentially targeted by Pegasus, the phone-hacking software of Israeli firm NSO Group Technologies. </p>.<p><strong>Check out latest DH videos here</strong></p>
<p>The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said it does not have any information relating to the Pegasus spyware controversy.</p>.<p>"The alleged matter that has been referred to is under investigation by a committee set up by the Supreme Court. No information is available with the Ministry of External Affairs on this matter," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.</p>.<p>He was responding to a volley of questions on a recent <em>The New York Times </em>report that claimed India bought the Pegasus spyware as part of a $2 billion defence deal with Israel in 2017.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/kareem-seeks-chairman-s-ruling-on-rajya-sabha-not-admitting-pegasus-amendment-1077725.html" target="_blank">Kareem seeks chairman’s ruling on Rajya Sabha not admitting Pegasus amendment</a></strong></p>.<p>The media report said Pegasus and a missile system were the "centrepieces" of a roughly $2 billion deal of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear between the two countries.</p>.<p>It also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel in July 2017 -- the first by an Indian prime minister.</p>.<p>"As regards the prime minister's visit to Israel in 2017, MoUs were signed, the details of which are publicly available," Bagchi said.</p>.<p>An international investigative consortium had claimed last year that many Indian ministers, politicians, activists, businessmen and journalists were potentially targeted by Pegasus, the phone-hacking software of Israeli firm NSO Group Technologies. </p>.<p><strong>Check out latest DH videos here</strong></p>