India strongly refuted a report by The New York Times (NYT) on Monday, which alleged that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), a state-run aerospace and defense firm, sold sensitive technology to a blacklisted Russian arms supplier. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) dismissed the report as “factually incorrect and misleading,” accusing it of distorting facts to suit a “political narrative.”
“The Indian entity mentioned in the report has scrupulously followed all international obligations on strategic trade controls and end-user commitments,” the MEA stated.
India Denies Allegations of Violating Trade Regulations
The controversy erupted after The New York Times published an article on March 28 titled ‘Major Donor to Reform U.K. Party Sold Parts Used In Weapons to Russian Supplier’. The report claimed that HAL facilitated the sale of sensitive technology from British aerospace firm HR Smith Group to Rosoboroneexport, a Russian arms agency blacklisted by the U.S. and U.K.
NYT alleged that HR Smith sent 118 shipments of restricted aviation technology—worth $2 million—to HAL in 2023 and 2024. HAL then allegedly shipped the same parts to Rosoboroneexport 13 times during the same period, with transactions totaling over $14 million.
HR Smith Defends Sales; Legal Concerns Raised
HR Smith’s lawyer, Nick Watson, defended the transactions, stating that the equipment was intended for India’s search-and-rescue network and not for military use. “The sales were lawful, and the parts support life-saving operations,” he said.
However, legal experts consulted by NYT suggested that HR Smith may have violated Western sanctions by failing to conduct due diligence on the final destination of the equipment. In December 2023, the British government had issued a ‘red alert’ warning companies about sensitive equipment being redirected to Russia through intermediaries.
India Urges Media to Verify Facts Before Reporting
India has dismissed these allegations, emphasizing that its strategic trade regulations guide all overseas commercial ventures of Indian companies. The MEA urged reputed media outlets to conduct “basic due diligence” before publishing reports, accusing The New York Times of failing to do so in this instance.
As of now, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has not issued an official response.