Delhi-Based Man Gets 30 Months In US Prison For Plotting Illegal Export Of Aviation Tech To Russia

A 58-year-old man from Delhi has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison in the United States for conspiring to illegally export controlled aviation components and a navigation and flight control system to Russian end users, violating US export control laws, federal prosecutors said on Friday.

Sanjay Kaushik was also sentenced to three years of supervised release by a federal court in Oregon for his role in what prosecutors described as a “calculated, profit-driven scheme” involving repeated attempts to bypass US safeguards meant to protect national security.

“This was no lapse in judgment,” U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Scott E. Bradford said in a statement. “It was a calculated, profit-driven scheme involving repeated transactions, substantial gains, and coordination with foreign co-conspirators, including sanctioned Russian entities.”

According to court documents, Kaushik began conspiring with others in early September 2023 to unlawfully procure aerospace goods and technology from the United States for entities in Russia. The equipment was purchased under false pretences, with Kaushik claiming that the items were intended for his Indian company, when in fact they were meant for Russian end users.

In one instance, prosecutors said Kaushik and his co-conspirators purchased an Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS) — a device that provides critical navigation and flight control data for aircraft — from an Oregon-based supplier. Such components require an export licence from the US Department of Commerce for shipment to countries including Russia.

To obtain the licence, Kaushik falsely claimed that his Indian firm was the end user and that the system would be installed in a civilian helicopter. The AHRS was ultimately detained before it could be exported, after authorities determined it was intended to be shipped via India to a Russian customer.

US officials said the aviation components involved have “dual-use” applications, meaning they can be used for both civilian and military purposes, making their unauthorised export a serious national security concern.

Kaushik was arrested in Miami, Florida, on October 17, 2024, and has remained in custody since then. A federal grand jury in Portland later indicted him on three counts, including conspiracy and attempt to export controlled products in violation of the Export Control Reform Act and Export Administration Regulations, as well as making false statements in connection with an export.

On October 9, 2025, Kaushik pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to sell export-controlled aviation components to Russian end users.

The sentencing was announced by the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon along with the Justice Department’s National Security Division and the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). The investigation was led by BIS officials in Portland with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and US Customs and Border Protection.

Prosecutors said the case underscores Washington’s efforts to crack down on attempts to illegally supply sensitive US technology to Russia amid ongoing sanctions and export restrictions.