Nearly 20 Indians and Indian entities feature in the list of 400-plus companies and individuals sanctioned by three US departments on Wednesday for “enabling Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine”.
The objective is to disrupt sanction-evasion and target entities in multiple third countries — including China, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Turkey and the UAE — that are in business with Russian companies.
There was no official response from India to the US decision.
The state department has sanctioned four India-based companies/ entities along with their Russia-based trading partners for operating or having operated in the aerospace sector of the Russian Federation.
These include Ascend Aviation, which sent over 700 shipments to Russia-based companies between March 2023 and March 2024. These shipments included over $200,000 worth of CHPL items (those on the Common High Priority List and subject to stringent export controls), such as US-origin aircraft components.
Vivek Kumar Mishra and Sudhir Kumar, co-directors and partial shareholders of Ascend Aviation, have also been sanctioned.
Another company sanctioned by the state department is Mask Trans, which was involved in the supply of over $300,000 worth of CHPL items, such as aviation components, to Russia-based and US-designated S 7 ENGINEERING LLC from June 2023 to at least April 2024.
Besides, the state department has sanctioned TSMD and Futrevo for dealing with Russia’s technology sector.
The entities on the treasury list include Abhar Technologies and Services Pvt Ltd; Denvas Services Pvt Ltd; Emsystech; Galaxy Bearings Ltd; Orbit Fintrade LLP; Innovio Ventures; KDG Engineering Pvt Ltd; Khushbu Honing Pvt Ltd; Lokesh Machines Ltd; Pointer Electronics; RRG Engineering Technologies Pvt Ltd; Sharpline Automation Pvt Ltd; Shaurya Aeronautics Pvt Ltd; and Shreya Life Sciences Pvt Ltd.
They have been sanctioned for not just circumventing sanctions but also helping Russian importers and producers of key inputs and other material used by Russia’s military-industrial complex.