British Firms Among Companies Whose Aircraft Parts Reached Russia via India
Data has revealed that aircraft parts from over 100 Western companies, including UK firms and aerospace giant Boeing, were exported to India and subsequently reached Russia. According to customs records, more than $50 million worth of aircraft components were funneled through Indian intermediaries to Russian airlines and other entities over a 21-month period leading up to September 2024.
The shipments, totaling approximately 700 cargo consignments, included critical components such as generators, sensors, propeller blades, cockpit displays, screws, bolts, and filters. Most of the Russian importers identified were civilian airlines, including Utair, which the European Union has flagged as also serving as a defense contractor. Utair received nearly a quarter of the shipments.
While there is no indication of wrongdoing by Western firms, nor evidence that they were aware their products were reaching Russia, the direct sale of aircraft parts to Russian entities has been banned by the UK and the EU, with strict restrictions imposed by the US. However, the effectiveness of these sanctions has been challenged by the presence of intermediary firms that continue to channel Western-made technology into Russia.
In January, the UK government expressed concern over Russia’s sanctions evasion and issued updated guidance urging exporting businesses to conduct thorough due diligence to prevent products from being rerouted to Russia. Analysis of Indian customs data by Investigate Europe indicates that, as of last September, goods were still making their way to Russia via Indian intermediaries, sometimes within days of their initial dispatch.
At least a dozen Indian intermediary firms acquired parts from Western companies that were later delivered to Russian buyers between January 2023 and September 2024. Two UK-based firms, Step Aviation and ASL Aerospace, accounted for around 120 of the identified shipments.
Step Aviation, registered to a Latvian national, sent over 60 shipments valued at more than $3 million to Indian firm Shaurya Aeronautics. Almost all of these consignments were later forwarded to three Russian buyers. In October, the US imposed sanctions on Shaurya for exporting sensitive dual-use aircraft parts to Russia. However, neither the UK nor the EU has sanctioned the company. Step Aviation has not been recorded sending goods to Shaurya since October and did not respond to requests for comment.
Another UK company, ASL Aerospace, appears to have dispatched around 60 shipments from the UK and US to four Indian firms that later re-exported the parts to Russia. One of these firms, Agrim Aviation Private Ltd, received cargo from ASL Aerospace in September. The US subsequently sanctioned Agrim on November 1, citing it as a likely conduit for US-made products destined for the Russian aviation industry. The UK and EU have not imposed sanctions on Agrim. ASL Aerospace stated that it ceased trading with Agrim after it was placed on the US "entity list," which subjects firms to stricter export controls.
ASL Aerospace CEO Bryan Poulier emphasized that his company does not engage in trading aircraft parts with sanctioned entities. He detailed the company’s compliance measures, including real-time monitoring of political and sanctions risks through Creditsafe’s screening tools and the requirement of end-user statements to verify buyers’ compliance with export regulations.
Sanctions compliance expert David Tannenbaum noted that Western governments have primarily focused on cracking down on intermediaries in Turkey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, with India receiving comparatively less attention. He described the enforcement efforts as a "game of whack-a-mole," pointing out that intermediary companies can easily be replaced.
US customs data indicate that Boeing sent at least 80 shipments to India since 2023, which were later partially or wholly re-exported to Russia. Many of these shipments, which included fasteners, valves, fuel sealants, and a battery, were routed through Indian buyer Ascend Aviation. The US sanctioned Ascend Aviation and its directors on October 30, 2024, for participating in sanctions evasion networks. Neither the UK nor the EU has followed suit. Boeing’s records show no transactions with Ascend after September 2024. A Boeing spokesperson reiterated that the company had suspended major operations in Russia, including providing parts, maintenance, and technical support, since March 2022.
Similarly, records suggest that Airbus subsidiary Satair sent 12 shipments to the same Indian firm between September 2023 and May 2024. These shipments were later delivered to Russian buyers, including state-owned airline Aeroflot. Airbus stated that it remains fully compliant with international sanctions and is committed to preventing the circumvention of trade restrictions.
India, which has maintained a neutral stance on Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, has not taken action against the implicated firms. An Indian government spokesperson stated that the companies in question were not in violation of local laws but would be advised on recent international export controls. None of the Indian intermediaries responded to requests for comment.
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