KEY POINTS
- Indian arms makers’ artillery shells have been redirected to Ukraine through European customers.
- Russia raised concerns about the transfer during diplomatic meetings with India.
- India has denied any direct involvement in supplying Ukraine with munitions.
According to 11 Indian and European government and defence industry officials, as well as a Reuters analysis of commercially available customs data, artillery shells sold by Indian arms makers have been diverted by European customers to Ukraine.
And New Delhi has not intervened to stop the trade despite protests from Moscow. The sources which were made known to the media and the customs statistics indicate that the munitions movement to support Ukraine’s defence against Russia has been going on for more than a year.
“According to Indian arms export laws, only the declared buyer may use the weapons; if unauthorized transfers take place, the buyer runs the danger of having future sales stopped.”
Protests from Russia regarding transfers
According to three Indian officials, the subject was brought up by the Kremlin at least twice, most recently during a meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Indian colleague in July.
Reuters reports, on the ammo transfers in detail for the first time. India’s foreign ministry referred to this study as “speculative and misleading” after it was published.
According to ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal, “it implies violations by India where none exist and, therefore, is inaccurate and mischievous” on Thursday.
“India has been carrying out its defense exports taking into account its international obligations on non-proliferation and based on a robust legal and regulatory framework, which includes a holistic assessment of relevant criteria, including end-user obligations and certifications,” Jaiswal stated.
India monitors the situation but doesn’t intervene
Questions were not answered by the Indian Ministry of Defense or the Russian Ministry of Foreign and Defense. Jaiswal stated at a press conference in January that neither India nor its suppliers had sent artillery ammunition to Ukraine.
“Only a very small portion of the ammunition being used by Ukraine is made in Delhi, said two officials in the Indian government and the defence sector who spoke with Reuters.
One official estimated that Delhi’s contribution to Ukrainian weaponry imports during the war was less than 1%. The news agency was unable to ascertain whether the European clients donated the weapons to Kyiv or resold them.
According to a Spanish and senior Indian official, as well as a former top executive at Yantra India, a state-owned company whose munitions are being used by Ukraine, Italy and the Czech Republic are among the European nations sending Indian munitions to Ukraine.
The Czech Republic is also spearheading an initiative to supply Kyiv with artillery shells from outside the European Union.
Speaking further, an Indian official added that Delhi was keeping an eye on the situation.
However, he stated that “India had not taken any steps to limit the supply to Europe, along with the assistance of a defence industry executive who had firsthand knowledge of the transfers.”
Due to the sensitivity of the subject, they talked on condition of anonymity, just like most of the 20 people Reuters spoke with.
