India sold explosives to Russia despite U.S. sanctions threat

An Indian company shipped $1.4 million worth of military-grade explosives to Russia late last year, according to Indian customs data obtained by Reuters — despite repeated U.S. warnings that supplying Russia’s war effort in Ukraine could trigger sanctions.

The chemical compound, HMX (also known as octogen), is described by the U.S. government as “critical for Russia’s war effort.” It is used in advanced missiles, torpedoes and rocket systems.

Two shipments were made in December 2024 by Ideal Detonators Private Limited, and delivered to Russian firms in Samara Oblast, near the Kazakh border.

One buyer, Promsintez, has ties to Moscow’s military, according to Ukraine’s SBU security service. The second, High Technology Initiation Systems (HTIS), is a subsidiary of Spanish firm Maxam, majority-owned by U.S.-based Rhone Capital.

The U.S. Treasury is authorised to sanction sellers of dual-use explosives to Russia. Washington has repeatedly warned India and other partners that engaging with Russia’s military-industrial complex carries risk of U.S. sanctions.

A State Department spokesperson told Reuters that such concerns have been “repeatedly made clear.”

Ukraine's top sanctions official confirmed Promsintez had appeared on their radar in connection with Indian firms. The SBU said it had targeted one of the company’s sites in a drone strike earlier this year.

Though India has deepened cooperation with the U.S. in recent years, especially to counter China, it has maintained strong trade ties with Moscow — including soaring oil imports since 2022. The Indian foreign ministry said its exports of dual-use goods comply with international obligations and national export controls.

There is no indication the HMX sales violated Indian law. Officials said the substance has some civilian uses, though it is mainly associated with military applications.

The U.S. government has not said whether it will take action, though sanctions under President Donald Trump’s administration have slowed, Reuters reported. One Indian official said New Delhi was aware isolated cases could occur.

Maxam said it is in the process of divesting its Russian holdings and that HTIS operates independently. None of the involved companies — including Ideal Detonators, Promsintez, HTIS or Rhone Capital have commented.

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