India becomes the second largest supplier of restricted technologies to Russia - Bloomberg
Illustrative photo: Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Getty Images)
India has increased its shipments of critical restricted technologies to Russia, which are prohibited under Western sanctions. India's export volumes have now become Moscow’s second-largest after China, according to Bloomberg.
US and European officials note the growing difficulty of curbing sanctioned exports that fuel the war machine of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, allowing him to continue his aggression against Ukraine.
It is reported that Indian exports of goods such as microchips, circuits, and machine tools exceeded $60 million in April and May — roughly double the previous months of this year.
Officials told Bloomberg on condition of anonymity that estimates showed this figure surged to $95 million in July.
Currently, China is the only country ahead of India regarding the volume of sanctioned goods supplied to Russia.
According to recent data, Western officials say nearly one-fifth of prohibited technologies enter Russia’s military-industrial complex through India.
How Russia circumvents sanctions on dual-use goods
Due to sanctions, exporting most dual-use items directly to Russia is prohibited. As a result, Russia buys them from third countries, sometimes through subsidiaries of Western firms or a network of intermediaries.
The publication notes that Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates have been two major transit points, but new hubs have emerged. According to Bloomberg sources, India, Malaysia, and Thailand are among them.
India is forced to stop supplying restricted exports to Russia
Western media also report that India’s role in supplying such goods poses an additional challenge. The US and EU seek to strengthen their partnership with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, which continues to maintain ties with Putin.
Furthermore, India has become Russia’s largest oil buyer despite Western-aligned nations' efforts to restrict sales.
“A key driver of the shift is the vast stock of rupees Russia has accumulated from such oil sales, according to the officials,” Bloomberg reports.
India’s role as a transit hub has drawn the attention of EU and US sanctions agencies. Their representatives have visited India several times, pressing its authorities to halt these supplies. Several Indian companies have already faced Western sanctions.
In addition, in July, Wally Adeyemo, the US Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, warned senior officials of the Confederation of Indian Industry about the sanctions risks Indian companies and banks face from doing business with Russia’s military-industrial base.
RBC-Ukraine reported that Russia secretly bought dual-use goods from India after China imposed restrictions.
For more information on other countries Russia relies on to avoid sanctions, read our special article.
