Indian businessman jailed in US over illegal export of aviation equipment to Russia

Indian businessman jailed in US over illegal export of aviation equipment to Russia

• Sanjay Kaushik sentenced for exporting restricted aircraft tech to Russia
• He conspired to ship navigation equipment without required US approvals
• Case underscores strict US enforcement of export laws, especially for Russia

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Sanjay Kaushik, 58, was convicted of conspiring to export restricted aircraft technology without obtaining the required US government approvals. In addition to the prison term, the court ordered three years of supervised release after his sentence is completed.

The prosecution focused on an Attitude and Heading Reference System, a device used in aircraft navigation and flight control. The system helps determine an aircraft’s position and orientation and is subject to strict export controls because of its potential military and civilian use.

US authorities said Kaushik was involved in arranging the shipment of the equipment from the United States to Russia despite knowing that such exports required authorisation. Russia is barred from receiving many categories of US-origin aviation and aerospace technology under existing export restrictions.

Court filings said the export was carried out in violation of those rules and involved deliberate steps to avoid compliance. Prosecutors told the court the offence was not the result of an error or oversight, but a conscious decision to bypass export regulations.

At sentencing, the judge said export controls were a critical part of US national security policy and that violations involving sensitive aviation equipment warranted custodial sentences. The court accepted the prosecution’s argument that a prison term was necessary given the nature of the equipment and the destination country.

According to court documents, Kaushik expressed regret during the proceedings. The judge acknowledged this but said it did not outweigh the seriousness of the offence.

The case is part of a broader push by US authorities to enforce export laws more aggressively, particularly in cases involving Russia and controlled technologies. Aviation systems and navigation equipment have been a key focus of recent prosecutions.

Kaushik’s conviction highlights the legal risks faced by individuals and companies involved in cross-border trade when export rules are ignored or deliberately circumvented.