A quiet but significant flow of artillery shells, manufactured by Indian arms companies, has found its way to Ukraine via European customers, despite Russia’s protests. This revelation, based on investigations by Reuters, involving interviews with eleven Indian and European government and defense industry officials as well as a review of commercially available customs data, sheds light on India’s delicate balancing act amidst the Ukraine conflict.
The transfer of these munitions, which has been ongoing for over a year, is a matter of concern for Moscow, as Indian arms export regulations restrict the use of weaponry to the declared purchaser. Unauthorized transfers risk jeopardizing future sales. The Kremlin has raised this issue on at least two occasions, including during a July meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Indian counterpart.
While India has officially denied sending or selling artillery shells to Ukraine, sources reveal that a small percentage of the ammunition used by Ukraine originates from India. The exact nature of the transfers – whether they were resold or donated to Kyiv by the European customers – remains unclear.
Among the European nations sending Indian munitions to Ukraine are Italy and the Czech Republic. Italy, through its defense contractor Meccanica per l’Elettronica e Servomeccanismi (MES), purchases empty shells from India and fills them with explosives, capitalizing on India’s capacity for mass production. MES is Yantra India’s largest foreign customer.
The transfer of Indian munitions to Ukraine raises concerns about end-user control and India’s ability to enforce its export regulations. This situation further complicates India’s already delicate balancing act between its longstanding partnership with Russia, its primary arms supplier, and its growing strategic ties with the West, particularly with the United States, Ukraine’s main security backer.
India’s strategic position is evident in its refusal to join the Western-led sanctions regime against Russia. The war in Europe, however, presents a unique opportunity for India to develop its nascent arms export sector, a goal that aligns with its ambition to become a major global arms exporter.
Despite the geopolitical complexities, the diversion of a relatively small amount of Indian ammunition to Ukraine provides India with strategic leverage. It demonstrates to Western partners that India is not unequivocally on Russia’s side in the conflict.
This revelation highlights the intricate web of global arms trade and the challenges of maintaining end-user control. It also showcases the complexities of India’s foreign policy as it navigates a delicate balancing act between competing interests and its ambition to emerge as a key player on the global stage.
