India rejects New York Times' report indicating Indian company's links with Russian agency
PTC News Desk: India has rejected a report by New York Times linking a Indian defence company Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) with Russian arms agency. The Ministry of External Affairs reportedly stated that the Indian entity (HAL) mentioned in the New York Times report has adhered to all international obligations on strategic trade controls and end-user commitments.
“The said report is factually incorrect and misleading. It has tried to frame issues and distort facts to suit a political narrative," MEA said.
The government has also urged the media to be extra cautious while publishing such news reports. The report stated that that a company part of the British aerospace manufacturer H.R. Smith Group, from 2023 to 2024 shipped restricted equipment to an Indian firm, which it described as the "biggest trading partner of the Russian arms agency, Rosoboronexport".
The records do not suggest that HR Smith's products were in Russia however some instances also project the Indian company received equipment from HR Smith and, within days, sent parts to Russia with the same identifying product codes, according to the reports.
The report also said that the British manufacturer did not specify if they asked HAL for an assurance that the products would not reach Russia.
- With inputs from agencies
