Ukraine flags Indian-made parts in drones used by Russian forces

UKraine has officially raised with the native american regime and the European unification (EU) the supply of electronic components made or assembled by firms in India being found on Iranian-designed drones used by Russian armed forces, people familiar with the matter said.The Ukrainian side raised the matter through formal diplomatic correspondence with the external affairs ministry on at least two occasions after these components were found on Shahed 136 unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) since last year, according to the people cited above and documents reviewed by HT.Ukrainian diplomats brought up the issue with EU sanctions envoy David O’Sullivan when he visited New Delhi in mid-July, the people added on condition of anonymity. O’Sullivan travelled to India last month to brief Indian officials on the EU’s latest sanctions package, which listed Vadinar refinery, jointly owned by Russian energy major Rosneft, and included an import ban on refined products made from Russian crude.Also Read | India calls out US, Europe for targeting Delhi, points to their trade with RussiaAccording to the documents reviewed by HT, an investigation by Ukrainian authorities established that electronic components from Vishay Intertechnology and Aura Semiconductor – either assembled or made in India – were “used by Russia in the production of the Shahed 136” UCAVs. The documents provided detailed information and images of specific components.A “bridge rectifier E300359” of Vishay Intertechnology assembled in India was used in the Shahed’s voltage regulator unit, while a PLL-based signal generator AU5426A chip made by Aura Semiconductor was used in the jammer-proof antenna for the drone’s satellite navigation system, according to the documents.The people said, purely on a technical basis, the firms have not violated any Indian laws.External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responded to a query on the matter by saying: “India’s exports of dual-use items are in keeping with its international obligations on non-proliferation, and based on its robust domestic legal and regulatory framework. Due diligence is conducted to ensure that such exports do not violate any of our laws.”Also Read | ‘10 or 12 days’: Trump gives Putin fresh deadline to end Ukraine warThere was no official word on the matter from the Ukrainian embassy in New Delhi. However, Ukraine’s defence intelligence directorate or HUR has reported about the Indian-origin components found in Shahed drones on its official Facebook page and Telegram channel.Several requests for a comment from Vishay Intertechnology, a US-based manufacturer of chips, optoelectronics and sensors, elicited no reply. Kishore Ganti, co-founder of Aura Semiconductor Pvt Ltd, the Bengaluru-based subsidiary of Ningbo Aura Semiconductor Co, said the firm ensures its products are used lawfully and ethically, and fully complies with all applicable national and international export control laws.“We are deeply disturbed by the possibility that any of our components may have reached defence manufacturers through unauthorised third-party channels, in violation of our stated compliance framework and distribution agreements. We strongly oppose such activity and are committed to taking action wherever compliance gaps are identified,” Aura Semiconductor said in a statement.Ganti said that on becoming aware of the use of an “Aura buffer product” in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Aura undertook a limited audit to understand the end-use for the item in question. “However, the findings of the audit were inconclusive with respect to supply chain/end-user visibility of the Aura buffer product,” Ganti said.The component is a “plug-and-play” one and can be used without dependence on Aura for any kind of support, “making it difficult for Aura to trace the end users in this instance”, Ganti added.The people cited above said there were instances of electronic components made in India being legally exported to destinations in West Asia, from where they were diverted to Russia or Iran. After Ukraine raised the matter, representatives of Indian security agencies visited manufacturers of electronic components and chips in Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai to sensitise them about international restrictions related to dual-use items, the people said.The Shahed, a relatively inexpensive drone, has been used in large numbers by Russia to target Ukraine since late 2022. According to Ukraine’s Security Service or SBU, Iran initially supplied 2,000 fully assembled drones to Russia, which later established its own assembly system using Iranian ready-made parts. Data from Ukraine’s air force showed Russia launched 6,129 Shahed-type drones in July.Ukraine’s defence intelligence directorate has also reported that electronic components from firms in the US and China have been found on Russian drones and other weapons.Ajay Srivastava, founder of the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), said the components may have been diverted by foreign buyers to Iran through third countries. “India strictly prohibits the export of dual-use items to sanctioned destinations. However, once such goods are exported to legitimate third countries, tracing their end use becomes nearly impossible – a challenge every open economy faces,” he said.These incidents underline the need for India to strengthen exporter awareness, especially in sensitive sectors, Srivastava said. “Exporters must be better informed about high-risk geographies and flagged entities. But no system, however rigorous, can guarantee full control once goods leave Indian borders,” he added. “Export compliance must be enforced, but blame must not be misdirected.”