Officials have not commented on whether the issue had come up for discussion in a phone call between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and his U.S. counterpart, Jake Sullivan
India has not responded directly to the U.S. decision to put 19 Indian entities under sanctions for providing “dualuse” technologies to Russia.
Calling them “Third-Country Sanctions Evaders”, the U.S. Treasury Department on Wednesday imposed sanctions on nearly 400 companies and individuals from 17 countries. On Friday , however, India’s Ministry of External Affairs declined to comment, despite several requests for a reaction to the sanctions imposed on a number of Indian companies by the U.S. in a single action against Russia.
Officials also did not comment on whether the issue had been discussed in a phone call between
National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and his U.S. counterpart, Jake Sullivan, on Thursday .
A readout from the U.S. White House said the two Advisers had discussed “regional security developments, underscoring the need for further efforts to ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific region and globally”, but made no mention of the U.S. action over Russia-linked companies in India.
Closer collaboration
“They also discussed further opportunities for closer collaboration in key domains, including clean energy supply chains and defence cooperation,” the readout added, highlighting “progress in the bilateral partnership”, through the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) launched by them in 2023.
The Modi government has thus far not responded to U.S. Treasury sanctions against a number of Indian entities for links to Russia and Iran since 2022, holding only that India “does not recognise unilateral sanctions”. According to the U.S. Treasury Department, the U.S. will now freeze all property of the sanctioned companies and owners in the United States and ban all transactions by U.S. citizens with them.
“The United States and our allies will continue to take decisive action across the globe to stop the flow of critical tools and technologies that Russia needs to wage its illegal and immoral war against Ukraine,” Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo, said, announcing the sanctions.
The call between the two NSAs, which followed the announcement, came days after India and China announced they had disengaged in the last two pending friction points on the Line of Actual Control, indicating a thaw in ties after four years of a military stand-off. The NSAs spoke amid escalating tensions between India and Canada over the Nijjar killing case, and recent accusations that Home Minister Amit Shah had directed the killing of the Canadian Khalistani activist last year.
When asked, the U.S. State Department spokesperson said the allegations, made by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner as well as the Deputy Foreign Minister in public comments, were “concerning”, and the U.S. government would “continue to consult with the Canadian government about those allegations”. The Ministry of External Affairs has thus far not commented on the latest allegations from Canada or the U.S. statement of “concern”.