Hindustan Aeronautics, a prominent Indian defense firm, has publicly denied allegations of reselling sensitive British technology to Russia, a claim that has caused significant media attention. The controversy arose after the New York Times reported that shipping records indicated the British aerospace manufacturer H.R. Smith Group exported vital equipment to India that was earmarked for Russian military applications, including cockpit equipment and antennas, in 2023 and 2024.
Despite being the largest trading partner of Rosoboronexport, the Russian arms agency, Hindustan Aeronautics did not offer a direct response to multiple requests for comment. However, a representative for H.R. Smith Group released a statement from Hindustan Aeronautics claiming that the British technology remained within India. The statement was issued a week after the Times article gained traction in Indian media.
According to H.R. Smith, their sales are compliant with legal frameworks and pertain to non-military use, specifically for an Indian search-and-rescue network. Nick Watson, a lawyer for H.R. Smith, emphasized that the components sold were intended for life-saving operations, thereby clarifying their purpose.
The Indian company detailed that the received parts were designated for helicopters utilized within the country. Nonetheless, the shipping records did reveal that some items were shipped to Russia shortly after their arrival in India, marked with identical product codes that also apply to various types of radar technology. However, H.R. Smith argued that these codes cannot establish a direct link between the Indian firm’s parts and those sold to Russia.
H.R. Smith Group made headlines for donating £100,000 (approximately $130,000) to the populist Reform UK party, just days after Nigel Farage was named the party's leader. Richard Smith, the company's owner, is noted for his connections with influential right-wing groups based in Westminster.
Currently, both the United Kingdom and the United States have imposed restrictions against trading with Rosoboronexport, yet India maintains no such restrictions. British companies can legally sell to Indian firms but are urged to be vigilant about ensuring parts do not reach Russia.
Although Hindustan Aeronautics is recognized in public records as a supplier to the Russian military, it has not incurred any financial sanctions, allowing British firms to conduct business with it. When reached for comment in March, Mr. Farage distanced himself from any approval of Putin's actions but refrained from discussing H.R. Smith's operations. A spokesperson for the party defended the donation as legitimate and rejected any insinuation of corruption, stating, "Such woeful attempts to smear Reform will not work."
