New Delhi, Mar 31 (UNI) India today slammed as “factually incorrect and misleading” a New York Times report alleging that the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd “re-routed sensitive technology”, with potential military use, to a blacklisted Russian arms agency during the Ukraine conflict.

“We have seen a report published by The New York Times. The said report is factually incorrect and misleading. It has tried to frame issues and distort facts to suit a political narrative," sources said today.

“The Indian entity mentioned in the report has scrupulously followed all its international obligations on strategic trade controls and end-user commitments.

“India’s robust legal and regulatory framework on strategic trade continues to guide overseas commercial ventures by its companies.

“We expect reputed media outlets to undertake basic due diligence while publishing such reports, which obviously was overlooked in the instant case,” the sources added.

The New York Times report alleged that a company Techtest, owned by UK aerospace major H.R. Smith Group, “made 118 shipments of restricted technology to Hindustan Aeronautics in 2023 and 2024”.

“The parts, identified using specific international codes, were sold for almost $2 million.

“During that period, the Indian firm made at least 13 shipments of the same type of parts to a buyer for Rosoboronexport, which is blacklisted by the British and American authorities. The Russian arms agency paid more than $14 million for the equipment, according to the records”.

It says that on Sept. 2, 2023, “Techtest sold Hindustan Aeronautics two shipments of restricted equipment, including location transmitters and remote controllers. Nineteen days later, the Indian company sold parts to Russia with matching identification codes”.

“Techtest sold another shipment of restricted technology to India on Feb. 4, 2024. Eighteen days later, Hindustan Aeronautics sold equipment with matching codes to a buyer for Rosoboronexport, customs data shows”.

“The British and American governments banned the sale of those goods, known as “common high priority items,” to Russia after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022”, NYT says.

“Public corporate records show that Rosoboronexport is Hindustan Aeronautics’ biggest trading partner. The Indian firm is also listed as a Russian supplier in commercial due diligence tools and screening databases that the U.S. government advises exporters to check.

“Techtest made more than 70 shipments of “Tier 2” items — one of the most sensitive technology categories — to Hindustan Aeronautics from 2023 to 2024, customs records show,” it alleged.

UNI RN