US court jails Indian businessman for illegal export of aircraft technology to Russia

A US federal court has sentenced Sanjay Kaushik, 58, an Indian businessman to 18 months in prison for conspiring to export restricted aircraft technology to Russia without securing the required government approvals.

Kaushik, according to a Moneycontrol news report was found guilty of arranging the shipment of an Attitude and Heading Reference System, a key component used in aircraft navigation and flight control. The device, which helps determine an aircraft’s position and orientation, is subject to stringent export controls because of its potential civilian and military applications.

In addition to the prison term, the court ordered Kaushik to serve three years of supervised release following the completion of his sentence.

Prosecutors told the court that Kaushik knowingly sought to send the equipment from the United States to Russia, despite being aware that such exports required authorisation. Under US export regulations, Russia is prohibited from receiving many categories of aviation and aerospace technology.

Court documents said the export breached these restrictions and involved deliberate efforts to evade compliance. The prosecution argued that the offence was not the result of a misunderstanding but a conscious attempt to bypass export control laws.

At sentencing, the judge stressed that export controls form a crucial pillar of US national security policy and said violations involving sensitive aviation equipment warranted custodial punishment. While Kaushik expressed remorse during the proceedings, the judge ruled that this did not outweigh the seriousness of the offence, particularly given the nature of the technology and its intended destination.

The case forms part of a wider effort by US authorities to step up enforcement of export laws, especially in relation to Russia and controlled technologies. Aviation systems and navigation equipment have featured prominently in recent prosecutions.

Kaushik’s conviction underscores the legal consequences facing individuals and companies engaged in international trade who ignore or deliberately circumvent export regulations.