France urges India to block Thales-made Su-30 avionics export to Russia through Kazakhstan

Citing sanctions circumvention concerns, France has called on India to stop the export of Thales-made Su-30 avionics to Russia through Kazakhstan.

France asked India to strengthen its export restrictions on avionics components used in Su-30s

In response to concerns that these critical supplies might be indirectly given to Russia in order to get arround the international sanctions, France has formally asked India to strengthen its export restrictions on avionics components used in Su-30 fighter jets, Defense.IN reported.

Reports that a Kazakhstan-based firm is assisting with the maintenance and repair of Russian Su-30SM fighter jets using French-made technology—possibly imported from India—have raised concerns. 

France is concerned that Russia, currently under international sanctions due to its war of aggression against Ukraine, could exploit this access to crucial parts for indirect supply to maintain the combat capabilities of its warplanes.

Kazakh company ARC Group is exploiting French technology to service Russian Su-30s – investigation

According to an investigation by the intelligence community InformNapalm, the Kazakh company ARC Group is exploiting French technology to service Russian Su-30SMs, leveraging a cunning scheme to circumvent sanctions. Paris has expressed concerns, prompting India to monitor and restrict the movement of these sensitive components.

A sophisticated scheme of Russian sanctions evasion has been uncovered through this investigation, revealing how Russian military aircraft, particularly Su-30SM fighters, continue to be serviced using high-tech French avionics from companies like Thales and Safran.

At the heart of this scheme is the partnership between Kazakhstan’s ARC Group and Russia’s Rosaviaspetskomplekt. Despite the sanctions explicitly prohibiting such transactions, the investigation details how Kazakhstan became a key conduit for maintaining Russian Su-30SM fighter jets, which rely on sophisticated French avionics, including the SMD55S and SMD66S multifunctional displays, TLS2020 landing system, and SIGMA 95NAA navigation system, among others.

These systems are integral to the aircraft’s operation, making their maintenance critical for Russian military operations, including bombardments of cities and military positions in Ukraine. Documents acquired by InformNapalm through multiple sources, including a whistleblower from Kazakhstan, outline the methods used to bypass these restrictions.

Read more: Russia repairs its SU warplanes with the help of a Kazakh firm

Indian companies are major vendors in Su-30 supply chain

The Su-30SM, a variation of the Su-30MKI operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF), depends strongly on avionics systems made by the French company Thales. These systems, which are essential to the aircraft’s operating efficiency, include heads-up displays (HUDs), navigation systems, and multipurpose displays.

India has accumulated considerable competence in maintaining and delivering spare parts for Su-30MKI aircraft, including the French-made avionics, as it operates the largest fleet of these aircraft worldwide. Indian companies are now major vendors in the worldwide Su-30 supply chain thanks to this experience.

This investigation underscores the complicated nature of international defense commerce and the difficulties in implementing sanctions in a global environment, even if India has not yet formally replied to the French request, according to the Indian newspaper.

India is in a unique position to affect the flow of these sensitive aviation technologies because it is a significant operator and supplier of Su-30 components.

Indian defense companies participating in the Su-30 supply chain are probably going to come under more scrutiny as a result of the French request. It is unclear how India would manage the difficulties of sanctions on Russia while attempting to maintain positive relations with both the West and Russia.