India has strongly dismissed a report published by The New York Times (NYT) that alleged Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) transferred sensitive technology with potential military applications to a Russian arms supplier.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) condemned the report as “factually incorrect and misleading”, accusing it of distorting facts to fit a political narrative.
The controversy erupted following the publication of an article titled "Major Donor to Reform U.K. Party Sold Parts Used In Weapons to Russian Supplier", which focused on British aerospace manufacturer HR Smith Group.
The NYT claimed that HR Smith had supplied nearly $2 million worth of transmitters, cockpit equipment, and other restricted technology to HAL.
The report suggested that some of these components were then shipped to Rosoboronexport, a Russian arms agency blacklisted by the United States and the United Kingdom.
According to NYT’s review of shipping records, HR Smith made 118 shipments of restricted technology to HAL between 2023 and 2024. Within the same period, HAL reportedly sent 13 shipments of identical parts to Russia, worth over $14 million.
The article implied that this arrangement could have facilitated the circumvention of international sanctions imposed on Russia following the Ukraine war.
However, the Indian government refuted these allegations, stating that HAL has consistently adhered to all international obligations regarding strategic trade controls and end-user commitments.
The MEA insisted that India has a robust legal and regulatory framework that governs overseas commercial ventures of its companies.
“The Indian entity mentioned in the report has scrupulously followed all international obligations on strategic trade controls and end-user commitments,” the MEA said. “We urge reputed media outlets to undertake basic due diligence while publishing such reports, which was overlooked in this case.”
HAL has not yet issued an official response to the allegations.
The NYT report also highlighted that the British government had issued a 'red alert' in December 2023, warning companies against inadvertently redirecting sensitive equipment to Russia through intermediaries.
Legal experts consulted by The New York Times suggested that HR Smith may have violated sanctions by failing to conduct proper due diligence before supplying the equipment to India.
In response to the report, HR Smith's lawyer, Nick Watson, maintained that the sales were lawful and that the equipment was intended for India’s search-and-rescue network. He further stated that the parts were designed to support life-saving operations and were “not intended for military use.”
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