Indian ammunition reaches Ukraine, provoking Russian outrage

NEW DELHI,— Indian-made artillery shells have found their way to Ukraine through European customers, despite ongoing protests from Russia, according to multiple government and defense industry officials, as well as a Reuters investigation based on customs data.

Although India’s arms export laws prohibit the resale of its weapons without authorization, the transfer of munitions to support Ukraine’s defense has been occurring for more than a year, sources said.

While India has not directly supplied Ukraine with weapons, European nations have been purchasing artillery shells from Indian manufacturers and then funneling them to Kyiv. This has sparked concern in Moscow, which has raised the issue with New Delhi on at least two occasions, including during a high-level diplomatic meeting in July between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Indian counterpart, according to three Indian officials.

The details of these munitions transfers are being revealed for the first time by Reuters. Despite concerns from Russia, India has not intervened to stop the flow of arms to Europe, according to officials familiar with the matter.

Neither the foreign and defense ministries of Russia and India responded to requests for comment. However, in January, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated during a press conference that India had not sold or sent any artillery shells to Ukraine.

According to Indian government and defense industry sources, India’s contribution to the ammunition used by Ukraine is minimal. One official estimated that less than 1% of the arms imported by Ukraine since the conflict began have come from Indian manufacturers. It remains unclear whether the shells were resold or donated by European customers.

Countries like Italy and the Czech Republic have been involved in sending Indian munitions to Ukraine, according to officials. The Czech Republic, in particular, is leading efforts to supply Kyiv with artillery from non-EU sources.

One senior Indian official confirmed that while New Delhi was aware of the situation, no steps had been taken to stop these transfers. Most of the sources interviewed for this report spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject.

Several European defense ministries, including those of Italy, Spain, and the Czech Republic, did not respond to requests for comment on the issue.

The arms trade takes place against a backdrop of shifting global alliances. India, long reliant on Russia as its primary arms supplier, has also been strengthening its defense ties with the United States, Ukraine’s key backer in the conflict. This deepening cooperation between New Delhi and Washington is partly driven by concerns over China’s rising influence in the region.

While India has maintained warm relations with Russia, it has refrained from joining Western-led sanctions against Moscow. At the same time, Indian officials see the prolonged conflict in Europe as a chance to develop India’s arms export industry, which has traditionally lagged behind.

According to six Indian officials familiar with the matter, India’s defense industry sees the war as an opportunity for growth. Ukraine, currently battling a major Russian offensive, is in urgent need of artillery shells, making it a prime customer.

The U.S. government declined to comment on India’s arms exports, with the State Department referring questions to New Delhi. India’s defense exports have been steadily growing, with over $3 billion worth of arms sold between 2018 and 2023, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh recently announced that defense exports reached $2.5 billion last year, with plans to increase that to $6 billion by 2029.

Customs data shows that prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Indian ammunition exports to countries like Italy, the Czech Republic, Spain, and Slovenia totaled just $2.8 million. Since then, that figure has skyrocketed to $135.25 million, including completed munitions sent to European nations supporting Ukraine.

Arzan Tarapore, an expert in Indian defense at Stanford University, noted that India’s push to expand its arms exports likely contributed to some unauthorized transfers of weapons to Ukraine. “In the rapid expansion of India’s arms trade, some violations of end-user agreements may have occurred,” he said.

In July 2024, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a high-profile visit to Moscow, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the visit, Modi emphasized the enduring strength of India-Russia relations, which he described as being grounded in “mutual trust and mutual respect.”

However, just a month later, in August 2024, Modi made a historic visit to Ukraine, marking the first trip by an Indian leader to the war-torn country in contemporary history. During his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Modi proposed that India could serve as a mediator to help facilitate peace discussions between Kyiv and Moscow.

(With files from Reuters)