U.S. concerned over illicit technology procurement by Russia for war: official

The U.S. is looking closely at export controls of technology companies around the world, including in India, in order to ensure that Moscow doesn’t “backfill” technology needed for manufacturing weapons during the Ukraine war.

The U.S. is looking closely at export controls of technology companies around the world, including in India, in order to ensure that Moscow doesn’t “backfill” technology needed for manufacturing weapons during the Ukraine war, a senior American official said on Friday.

Speaking ahead of the first India-U.S. Strategic Trade Dialogue due to be held next month in Delhi, the official also said that compared to its concerns over China’s military appropriation of dual-use technology, the U.S. shares a “common security outlook” with India and has an ease of cooperation comparable to NATO partners.

“We are looking at companies around the world being used by Russia to facilitate its illicit procurement, the items that the 39 economies have cut off from export to Russia, they’re still trying to get them to use in their war machine,” Thea Rozman Kendler, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), said.

“We’re particularly concerned about that. So we’re working with partners all over the world to make sure that Russia isn’t using them to backfill the technology,” Ms. Kendler said.

Ms. Kendler, who was in Delhi for meetings with officials, also travelled to Bengaluru to address a workshop of U.S.-India Space Technology Industry Workshop on Export Controls, co-sponsored by the U.S. Mission in India and the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum. The Indo-U.S. Strategic Trade Dialogue, to be held between Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra and Alan Estevez, Under Secretary, Bureau of Industry and Security in U.S. Department of Commerce, will be one of a number of official meetings being held this year ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s State visit to Washington, expected in June.

The new U.S. Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, also landed in Delhi this month and is expected to receive his credentials in the next two weeks.

Among proposals being discussed ahead of the visit is an application from engine manufacturer General Electric (GE) to manufacture engines for India’s LCA-2 locally and co develop a new jet engines for India’s future fighter aircraft.