Recommendation of the Council on Ethics 2024-10-16
Bharat Electronics Limited, an Indian defense company, is assessed to be involved in the export of arms and military supplies, such as an air defense weapons station, and radio and radar systems for naval vessels, to Myanmar’s military both before and after the military coup in 2021. Myanmar’s military is assessed by several sources to have committed human rights abuses against the civilian population both before and after the coup.
The company’s exports of arms and military supplies to Myanmar’s military is assessed to contribute to the latter’s ability to use violence against the civilian population in Myanmar, in violation with international humanitarian law.
The company has not replied to the Council on Ethics’ repeated attempts to established dialogue. Neither has it been possible to identify any substantial dialogue with other stakeholders.
The Council on Ethics recommends the exclusion of Bharat Electronics Limited as the company’s export of arms and military supplies to Myanmar’s military is assessed to contribute to human rights violations according to principle 2 of the UN Global Compact and chapter IV of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.