According to a recent international report, India has been secretly supplying weapons to Ukraine through multiple European buyers, including Italy and the Czech Republic, over the past year.
Custom records and other sources suggest that India has been providing arms to Ukraine since the onset of the conflict with Russia.
The report, cited by Reuters, reveals that Indian-made weapons have been routed to Ukraine through European intermediaries, with the aim of boosting India’s arms export sector. India has previously exported weapons to Italy, the Czech Republic, Spain, and Slovenia, and is seeking to expand its presence in the global arms market.
Between February 2022 and July 2024, India’s arms exports totaled $135.25 million, according to Reuters. Arzan Tarapore, an Indian defense expert at Stanford University, suggests that Delhi’s efforts to boost arms exports play a crucial role in its weapons transfers to Ukraine.
The issue has reportedly been raised by Russia on two occasions, including during a meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Indian counterpart in July.
More recently, Lavrov expressed concerns about India’s arms supply to Ukraine during a meeting with Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Kazakhstan in September 2024.
Italian defense contractor Meccanica per l’Elettronica e Servomeccanismi (MES) is among the companies reportedly facilitating the transfer of Indian-made weapons to Ukraine. The report also mentions that India is supplying arms to Israel, with a recent shipment of Indian-manufactured weapons sent via Spain on a vessel named Borkum.
As India continues to expand its role in the global arms trade, questions arise about the implications for regional and international security dynamics. The revelations raise concerns about the potential for regional conflicts and the impact on global stability.
