India has denied allegations in a recent New York Times report that tied a British aerospace subsidiary to a state-owned Indian defence company, reportedly linked to Russia’s arms agency, Rosoboron export. Official sources on Monday rejected the report as “factually incorrect” and “misleading,” claiming that it twists facts to suit a political agenda.
Report Alleges Equipment Transfer to Russia
The NYT report had indicated that war material provided by a British company to the Indian defence firm could have ended up at the Russian arms agency. Referring to “documents,” the report stated that between 2023 and 2024, the British aerospace company H.R. Smith Group exported sensitive equipment such as transmitters and cockpit technology to an Indian firm, which in turn is said to have passed on parts to Russia. But the report conceded that no definitive evidence that H.R. Smith’s items found their way to Russia existed.
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India Dismisses Allegations, Cites Compliance with Law
Indian authorities vehemently denied these accusations, pointing out that the concerned defence company has abided by all global trading laws and end-user obligations rigorously.
“The Indian entity referred to in the report has adhered strictly to all its international commitments on strategic trade controls and end-user undertakings,” an official source said.
India also emphasized its strong legal and regulatory regime on strategic trade, which ensures that Indian businesses adhere to international laws in their foreign commercial transactions.
Call for Responsible Journalism
Indian officials condemned The New York Times for not doing due diligence before releasing the report.
“We would expect respected media to do some simple due diligence before publishing such a report, which clearly was not done in this instance,” the source further stated.
H.R. Smith Group Denies Military Use of Equipment
The H.R. Smith Group countered the allegations, explaining that its sales were legitimate and that the equipment in question was intended for an Indian search-and-rescue network.
The firm said the components “assist lifesaving functions” and are “not intended for military application.”
A spokesman for the U.K.’s Reform Party, which had taken donations from the British firm, therefore labeled the accusations as politically motivated. Furthermore, he added, “Such a woeful attempt to smear Reform will not work.”
