India’s Arms to Ukraine: A New Flashpoint in Russia-Ukraine Conflict

According to eleven 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. Despite protests from Moscow, New Delhi has not intervened to stop the trade.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, according to eleven Indian and European government and defence industry officials, as well as a Reuters analysis of commercially available customs data.

The transfer of weapons to bolster Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression has been ongoing for over a year, as reported by various sources and customs data. It’s important to note that Indian arms export regulations place limitations on the use of these weapons, restricting them to the intended recipient. Any unauthorized transfers could result in the termination of future sales to the offending party.

What did Randhir Jaiswal Say?

During a meeting in July, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov raised the issue on at least two occasions, according to three Indian officials. The discussions took place between Lavrov and his Indian counterpart, and the topic was brought up by the Kremlin.

The foreign and defense ministries of Russia and India did not provide answers to inquiries regarding their positions or actions. In a news conference held in January, Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Indian foreign ministry, stated clearly that India had neither sent nor sold artillery shells to Ukraine.

According to information from two Indian government sources, as well as two defense industry sources, it has been reported to Reuters that the amount of ammunition supplied by Delhi to Ukraine is very small. One official estimated that it accounted for less than 1% of the total arms imported by Kyiv since the conflict began. Additionally, it remains unclear whether the munitions were resold or donated to Kyiv by European customers.

European countries supplying Indian munitions to Ukraine include Italy and the Czech Republic, which is spearheading an initiative to provide Kyiv with artillery shells sourced from outside the European Union. This information comes from a Spanish official, a senior Indian official, and a former high-ranking executive at Yantra India, a state-owned company whose munitions are currently being utilized by Ukraine.

Delhi is closely monitoring the situation

According to an Indian official, Delhi is closely monitoring the situation. However, despite insights from a defense industry executive with direct knowledge of the transfers, India has not implemented any measures to restrict the supply to Europe. Similar to the majority of the 20 individuals interviewed by Reuters, both sources requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue. Despite reaching out for comment, the defense ministries of Ukraine, Italy, Spain, and the Czech Republic did not provide a response.

In recent times, Delhi and Washington have bolstered their defense and diplomatic collaboration as they perceive a growing China as their primary competitor. Ukraine, a key ally for security, has also been strengthening ties with both countries. India has historically maintained strong relations with Russia, which has been its primary source of arms for many years. Despite this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chosen not to participate in the sanctions imposed by Western nations against Moscow. However, India, known as the world’s largest arms importer, is also considering leveraging the prolonged conflict in Europe to advance its emerging arms export industry, as per information from six sources within India familiar with official perspectives.

Ukraine is currently facing a critical shortage of artillery ammunition as it works to thwart a Russian offensive aimed at the eastern logistics hub of Pokrovsk. Despite this pressing need, the White House has chosen not to provide any comments on the situation. Furthermore, the U.S. State Department has redirected inquiries about Delhi’s arms exports to the Indian government. According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute think-tank, India has exported slightly over $3 billion worth of arms between 2018 and 2023. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh announced at an August 30 conference that defense exports had exceeded $2.5 billion in the last fiscal year and outlined Delhi’s goal of increasing this figure to around $6 billion by the year 2029.

In the period leading up to the February 2022 invasion, commercial customs records indicate that three prominent Indian ammunition manufacturers – Yantra, Munitions India, and Kalyani Strategic Systems – collectively exported approximately $2.8 million worth of munitions components to Italy and the Czech Republic. Additionally, these exports were also made to Spain and Slovenia, where defense contractors have made substantial investments in supply chains specifically geared towards supporting Ukraine.

Between February 2022 and July 2024, there was a significant surge in arms exports from India, totaling $135.25 million. This included completed munitions that India started exporting to four nations. According to Arzan Tarapore, a defense expert at Stanford University, Delhi’s efforts to broaden its arms exports played a crucial role in the transfer of its arms to Ukraine. Tarapore also noted that the recent rapid expansion may have led to some instances of end-user violations.

Read More: China’s Fear of India: Unveiling the Geopolitical Tensions

MES and Yantra India did not respond

The unlisted Italian defense contractor Meccanica per l’Elettronica e Servomeccanismi (MES) has been identified as one of the companies sending Indian-made shells to Ukraine, according to a former high-ranking official at Yantra India. MES is Yantra’s largest foreign client. The executive noted that the Rome-based company purchases empty shells from India and then fills them with explosives. While several Western firms have the capability to fill explosives, they lack the manufacturing capacity to mass-produce artillery shells, according to the official. In its annual report for 2022-23, Yantra announced an agreement with an unnamed Italian client to establish a manufacturing line for L15A1 shells, which the former Yantra executive confirmed to be MES. Both MES and Yantra India did not respond to emails requesting comment.

Customs data reveal that between February 2022 and July 2024, Yantra shipped $35 million worth of empty 155mm L15A1 shells to Meccanica per l’Elettronica e Servomeccanismi (MES). Additionally, customs records indicate that in February 2024, U.K.-based arms company Dince Hill—whose board includes a senior MES executive—exported $6.7 million in ammunition from Italy to Ukraine. Among the exported items were 155mm L15A1 shells, which the customs declaration specified were manufactured by MES for Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, intended to enhance Ukraine’s defense capabilities and mobilization readiness. Dince Hill did not respond to an email requesting comment, and its new owner, Rome-based Effequattro Consulting, could not be reached for a response.

In another development, Spain’s Transport Minister Oscar Puente took to social media in May to share an end-user agreement signed by a Czech defense official. This agreement authorized the transfer of 120mm and 125mm ammunition shells from Munitions India to the arms dealer Czech Defence Systems (CDS).

Pro-Palestinian activists had previously raised concerns, alleging that the vessel Borkum, which was carrying Indian-made arms and had made a stop at a Spanish port, was transporting weapons to Israel. However, a report from the Spanish newspaper El Mundo in May clarified that the final destination of the arms was, in fact, Ukraine. This was subsequently confirmed by a Spanish official and another source familiar with the situation, who informed Reuters that Kyiv was the intended end user of the shipment.

Customs records dated March 27 revealed that Munitions India had shipped 10,000 rounds of 120mm and 125mm mortar shells, valued at over $9 million, from Chennai to CDS. Both Munitions India and CDS did not respond to inquiries regarding the matter.

Jaishankar’s response to Lavrov’s comments

Russia, which accounts for over 60% of India’s arms imports, remains a significant partner for New Delhi. In July, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi selected Moscow as the destination for his first bilateral international trip following his election to a third term.

During the same month, a meeting took place in Kazakhstan between Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India’s top diplomat, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. In this discussion, Lavrov expressed concerns regarding Indian munitions being utilized by Ukrainian forces, specifically mentioning that some of these munitions were produced by state-owned Indian companies. An Indian official with direct knowledge of the meeting confirmed these details but did not disclose Jaishankar’s response to Lavrov’s comments.

Walter Ladwig, a security expert specializing in South Asia at King’s College London, remarked that the diversion of a relatively small quantity of ammunition could serve a geopolitically advantageous purpose for India. He explained that this move enables India to demonstrate to its Western partners that it is not unequivocally aligned with Russia in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Ladwig further noted that Moscow has limited influence over India’s decision-making processes.