Did HAL send banned technology to Russia? India denies New York Times report, gives this befitting reply

A New York Times report has accused Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) of sending restricted technology to Russia. The Ministry of External Affairs has termed this report as false and misleading. The ministry said that HAL has followed all international rules. The Ministry of External Affairs has termed the report of ‘The New York Times’ as factually incorrect and misleading. The ministry said that facts have been distorted in this report. Through this, an attempt has been made to create a particular political narrative.

‘NYT report factually incorrect and misleading’

The Ministry of External Affairs said that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has fully complied with international rules. HAL is a government company. This company follows the rules of trade and end-use conditions with other countries. Sources in the Ministry of External Affairs said that we have seen a report published by The New York Times. This report is factually incorrect and misleading. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has honestly complied with all its international obligations on strategic trade controls and end-user commitments.

Allegations leveled against HAL rejected

Ministry sources said that India has a strong legal framework regarding strategic trade. This framework guides the overseas activities of Indian companies. The ministry said that India’s strong legal and regulatory framework on strategic trade continues to guide the overseas commercial ventures of its companies. We expect reputable media outlets to exercise basic caution when publishing such reports, which was clearly ignored in this case.

What is in the New York Times report

The New York Times report said that between 2023 and 2024, a British aerospace firm, HR Smith Group, sent restricted technology to HAL. It was later revealed that this technology was used in transactions with Russia’s state weapons agency, Rosoboronexport. According to the report, HAL made shipments of equipment to Russia several times after receiving parts from HR Smith’s subsidiary, Techtest.

Report mentions border fee records

The New York Times report, citing customs records, said that HAL received 118 shipments of restricted technology worth about $2 million from Techtest in 2023 and 2024. The report also claimed that during the same period, HAL made at least 13 shipments of similar components to Rosoboronexport, paying a total of more than $14 million.

The report said that these devices were dual-use technology. This means that they can be used for both civilian and military purposes. British and US officials had described it as important for Russia’s military operations in Ukraine. The report also mentioned that HR Smith donated £100,000 to the British political party Reform UK shortly after Nigel Farage was named its leader.

The report is just a possibility, there is no concrete evidence

However, the report also states that there is no direct evidence that HR Smith’s products reached Russia. The report only states that the product identification codes match in the shipment records. This means that this is just a possibility, but there is no concrete evidence to prove it.