Contrary to Moscow's protests, Indian weapons are secretly transferred to Ukraine: Reuters revealed the scheme
The ammunition selling Indian producers comes to Ukraine through European intermediaries, and New Delhi does not try to interfere with it, although Moscow's representatives are opposed. About it writes Reuters with reference to sources. At least 11 government officials and representatives of the Indian and Europe defense industry have confirmed the supply of weapons to Ukraine. This also indicates an analysis of commercial data, conducted by Reuters.
It turned out that India has been supplying weapons to Ukraine for over a year. India's legislation on weapons export limits the use of weapons by claimed buyers, if there is a risk that future sales will be stopped due to unauthorized supplies. The Kremlin's representatives raised the issue of Indian weapons at least twice, in particular in July at a meeting of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov with his colleague with New Dely, three official representatives of India confirmed.
There are no official confirmations. In January this year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India, Randhir Jayswal, spoke at a press conference, stated that his country did not sell, as well as supplied ammunition to Ukraine. According to journalists, the share of Indian ammunition on the front line in Ukraine is insignificant and is within 1% of which Kiev has imported from the beginning of a full -scale invasion.
The authors of the publication were also unable to determine whether the European countries resold Kiev or transferred free of charge. Among those who supply Indian ammunition to Ukraine are the Czech Republic (whose representatives head such an initiative in the EU), as well as Italy. According to journalists, the officials of the state company Yantra India, whose ammunition is in the Armed Forces.
India and the United States strengthen the defense partnership and diplomatic ties against the background of China's military capacity growth, which is regarded in both countries as a major potential enemy. At the same time, India retains close relationships with Russia - its perennial partner. The country's authorities refuse to join Western sanctions against Moscow.
At the same time, New Delhi, the largest world importer of weapons, also views a long war in Europe as an opportunity to develop its weapon export sector. According to the Analytical Center of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, India has put on more than $ 3 billion in 2018-2023. On August 30, representatives of the Ministry of Defense of the country stated that during the year, defense exports exceeded $ 2. 5 billion, and that the plans, by 2029, reach 6 billion.
, Munitions India and Kalyani Strategic Systems have provided materials for the production of Czech, Italy, Spain and Slovenia for $ 2. 8 billion. Defense contractors of these countries play a prominent role in weapons for Ukraine. From February 2022 to July 2024, the supply amount exceeded 135. 25 million, including ready-made ammunition, which India began to export to the four mentioned countries.
Arzan Tarapore, Indian Defense Expert at Stanford University, said that Delhi's desire to increase weapons exports has become a major factor in the supply of Kiev. According to the Yantra representative, the Italian defense contractor Mecanica per L'Eletttronica e servomeccanismi (MES) is one of the companies that transmit Indian production shells to Kiev. MES is the largest foreign client Yantra. It is reported that the Italians buy empty shells in India and fill them with explosives.
It is clarified that several Western firms had the opportunity to add explosives to the projectiles, but lacked production facilities for mass production. The Yantra annual report from 2022 to 2023 refers to an agreement with an unnamed Italian client about the creation of a production line for L15A1 shells. The former Yantra leader reported that it was about MES.
According to customs declarations, from February 2022 to July 2024 Yantra handed Mes empty ammunition L15A1 caliber 155 mm for $ 35 million. Customs records also stated that in February 2024, the British company Dince Hill exported ammunition worth $ 6. 7 million from Italy to Ukraine. Among other things, mentioned L15A1 155 mm. The customs declaration stated that MES made them for the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine - to "increase the defense capability and mobilization readiness" of the country.
In May, the Spanish Transport Minister told in May on social networks about an agreement with the Czech Republic, which made the transfer of 120 and 125 mm from Munitions India Czech Defense Systems. Activists who were supporting Palestine claimed that the Borkum ship with Indian weapons, which stopped at the Spanish port, carried a weapon to Israel. In May, Spanish journalists El Mundo wrote that Ukraine was still Ukraine. High -rank sources in Spain have confirmed this.
Customs records from March 27 show that Munitions India sent 10,000 mortar shells 120 and 125 mm worth more than $ 9 million from the Indian city of Czech Defense Systems. Russia supplies more than 60% of all Indian weapons imports and is considered by the local government as an important armory partner. In July, Indian Prime Minister Nari Modi visited Moscow, which was the first in the list of his foreign visits after his election for the third time.
The same month, a meeting of a high -ranking Indian diplomat of Subramana Jayshankar and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov took place in Kazakhstan. The Russian Minister put pressure on a foreign colleague just through ammunition who use the Ukrainian forces. He said some of the shells produce state -owned companies. This was shared by a representative of the Indian leadership, who was aware of the meeting.
At the same time, the official is opposed to Jayshankar's position, who, apparently, supported the military assistance of Ukraine. The safety expert in South Asia from the Royal College of London Voltaire Ladwig said that the supply of relatively small number of ammunition is profitable in India in a geopolitical sense. In this way, the country demonstrates Western partners, which does not support the war of Russia in Ukraine, and Moscow has had a levers of influencing the decision of New Delhi.