Ukraine has officially informed the Indian government and the European Union (EU) that some parts made or assembled by companies in India were found in Iranian-designed drones used by Russia in the ongoing war. A Hindustan Times report, citing sources familiar with the matter, said that the Ukrainian authorities raised this issue with India’s Ministry of External Affairs more than once since last year. The concern came up again when EU sanctions envoy David O’Sullivan visited New Delhi in July to discuss the EU’s latest sanctions against Russia.
The report added that O’Sullivan during his visit last month also talked about the India’s involvement in the Vadinar refinery, which is partly owned by Russian oil company Rosneft, and discussed an EU ban on products made from Russian crude oil.
What Ukrainian investigation found
Documents from Ukraine’s investigation showed that two Indian-linked firms, namely Vishay Intertechnology and Aura Semiconductor, had electronic parts found inside Shahed-136 drones, reported HT. These drones, originally made in Iran, are now being used by Russia in large numbers to attack Ukrainian cities.
The investigation identified two key parts:
- A voltage regulator unit in the drone had a bridge rectifier which was reportedly assembled in India by Vishay Intertechnology.
- A PLL-based signal generator AU5426A chip made by Aura Semiconductor was found in the drone’s navigation antenna, which helps the drone to avoid jamming.
Though these parts were found in the drones, sources told HT that technically speaking, neither of the companies broke any Indian laws. The components are classified as dual-use, which means they can be used for both civilian and military purposes.
India’s response and what companies said
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responded on the matter saying that all its dual-use exports follow strict national and international rules, and every effort is made to ensure they are not misused.
While there was no public comment from Ukraine’s embassy in India, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency shared details of Indian-origin parts on social media platforms.
The HT report said that Vishay Intertechnology, which is a US-based chip manufacturer, did not respond comment on the matter. However, Aura Semiconductor, based in Bengaluru, said that it always follows international export laws and does not support misuse of its products. The company expressed concern about the possibility that its parts may have been diverted through unauthorised sellers. An internal audit was conducted but could not clearly trace how the component ended up in the drones. Aura also said that the chip in question is a plug-and-play item, making it hard to track once it’s sold.
How parts could have been diverted
Sources explained to HT that some of these electronic components were likely exported legally from India to countries in West Asia. From there, they may have been sent to Russia or Iran. After Ukraine raised concerns, Indian security agencies visited chip manufacturers in cities like Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai to make them aware of international restrictions related to dual-use exports.
Shahed drones, which are affordable and easy to assemble, have been widely used by Russia since 2022. Ukraine says Iran first sent fully assembled drones to Russia, which then began making them locally using imported parts. So far, over 6,000 such drones have been used, according to Ukraine’s air force.
Similar components from US and Chinese firms have also been found in Russian weapons. Trade experts in India have told HT that exporters must be more alert about where their products end up, especially when dealing with sensitive regions or buyers. But they also stressed that no country can fully track exported goods once they leave its borders.