Delhi – The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on 32 individuals and entities across multiple countries, including India, for allegedly supporting Iran’s ballistic missile and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programme. The move, announced by the US Treasury and State Department, forms part of Washington’s renewed pressure campaign to curtail Tehran’s missile development and nuclear ambitions.
Among the sanctioned entities is Farmlane Private Limited, an India-based firm accused of facilitating the procurement of sensitive chemical materials for Iran through its association with United Arab Emirates-based Marco Klinge. According to the Treasury Department, the companies allegedly helped supply sodium chlorate and sodium perchlorate, chemicals used to produce ammonium perchlorate, a key component in solid propellants for ballistic missiles.
“These materials fall under Missile Technology Control Regime restrictions,” the department noted, adding that ammonium perchlorate forms the core of solid rocket motors widely used in modern missile systems.
The US State Department said the sanctions target procurement networks spread across India, Iran, China, Hong Kong, the UAE, Turkey and other jurisdictions, which allegedly provide components, financial channels and logistical support to Iran’s weapons programmes.
“Across the globe, Iran exploits financial systems to launder funds, procure components for its nuclear and conventional weapons programs, and support its terrorist proxies,” said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley. He added that under directions from President Donald Trump, Washington is exerting “maximum pressure” to end Tehran’s nuclear threat.
Tehran maintains that its nuclear programme is strictly for civilian purposes.
A Blow to India’s ‘Responsible Nuclear State’ Image
The sanctions on an Indian company, the latest in a string of similar actions, appear to contradict New Delhi’s long-standing claims of maintaining a clean non-proliferation record. While India frequently questions Pakistan’s nuclear safety and promotes its own image as a responsible nuclear actor, Washington’s findings suggest vulnerabilities within India’s commercial ecosystem.
Indian entities have repeatedly drawn US scrutiny in recent months. In July, six Indian companies were sanctioned for trading in Iranian petroleum and petrochemicals. In April, the US Treasury targeted an Indian national based in the UAE along with two India-based firms for operating vessels in Iran’s “shadow fleet,” used to evade sanctions and transport Iranian oil. An earlier round of sanctions in October penalized nine India-based companies and eight Indian nationals for trading in Iranian oil and petrochemical products in violation of international restrictions.
The latest action under Executive Order 13382, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction, indicates that India’s proliferation risks extend beyond rogue individuals, implicating corporate structures linked to global procurement chains.
Diplomatic Silence and Strategic Contradictions
India has yet to issue a statement regarding the US Treasury’s findings against Farmlane Private Limited. Analysts note that New Delhi’s silence contrasts sharply with its frequent criticism of Pakistan’s nuclear programme, which remains under IAEA safeguards and strict international oversight. Pakistan’s peaceful nuclear programme has been acknowledged by the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossi, who praised the country’s steady progress and close cooperation with the agency.
Following a meeting with Dr. Raja Ali Raza Anwar, Chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, on the sidelines of the 69th IAEA General Conference in Vienna, Grossi highlighted Pakistan’s achievements in expanding its civil nuclear energy capacity. He observed that Pakistan’s nuclear power programme is advancing “at a good pace,” citing the ongoing construction of Chashma Nuclear Power Plant Unit-5 (C-5) as an example.
The latest US sanctions also raise questions about Washington’s strategic calculus. As the United States deepens cooperation with India in the Indo-Pacific, the exposure of Indian firms allegedly supplying materials to Iran’s missile programme complicates the narrative of India as a reliable partner in non-proliferation efforts. Observers warn that trust gaps may widen unless New Delhi addresses systemic vulnerabilities in its commercial and regulatory oversight.
“As US sanctions expose Indian involvement in missile supply chains, serious questions arise about whether Washington can still trust a partner whose firms strengthen the very threats America seeks to contain,” said a regional analyst.
The sanctions underscore the broader geopolitical challenge of constraining Iran’s weapons capabilities while managing strategic ties. For India, the development exposes a stark contradiction: projecting itself as a responsible nuclear power internationally, even as its own companies repeatedly face penalties for activities linked to proliferation.
