European countries have been supplying artillery shells from Indian arms manufacturers to Ukraine for more than a year. Despite Russia’s protests, India does not interfere with or stop the trade, Babel reports.
Reuters informs this with reference to 11 Indian and European government and defense industry officials, as well as customs data.
In general, Indian export rules stipulate that only the declared buyer can use the weapon. Otherwise, the country may stop further arms sales. However, according to two of the Indian officials interviewed by the agency, India has not taken any action to limit supplies to Europe.
Moscow has discussed these supplies with New Delhi at least twice, but without success. In particular, this was discussed at a meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Indian counterpart. This, however, did not prevent the Kremlin from presenting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s July trip to Russia as a visit by a friend of Vladimir Putin.
Reuters sources claim that India produces only a small amount of the ammunition used by Ukraine. According to one Indian official, this is less than 1% of the total amount of weapons that Kyiv has imported since Russia’s full-scale invasion began.
Indian ammunition is also sent to Ukraine by Italy and the Czech Republic, which is leading an initiative to supply Kyiv with artillery shells from outside the European Union. Indian manufacturers also exported ammunition components to Spain and Slovenia, which have already established supply chains for Ukraine.
According to customs data, ammunition of 155 mm, 120 mm, and 125 mm caliber can be supplied to Ukraine.
The supplies allow India to develop its nascent arms export sector. In addition, it allows India to show its partners in the West that it is not on Russia’s side in the Russian-Ukrainian war, Reuters notes.
