India has rejected a news report claiming that the government failed to prevent European buyers from transferring Indian-made artillery shells to Ukraine. The report, published by Reuters on Thursday, alleged that European customers had been diverting artillery shells purchased from Indian arms manufacturers to Ukraine for over a year, despite protests from Moscow.
India’s foreign ministry responded by calling the report “speculative” and “misleading.” Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated on X (formerly Twitter) that the report “implies violations by India, where none exist, and hence, is inaccurate and mischievous.” He also emphasized that India has an “impeccable track record” in adhering to international arms non-proliferation agreements and maintains strict export regulations.
The Reuters report, which cited unnamed Indian and European officials as well as customs data, claimed that India had produced a small portion of the ammunition being used by Ukraine, accounting for less than 1% of Kyiv’s total arms imports since the war with Russia began in 2021. European countries such as Italy and the Czech Republic were named as having sent Indian ammunition to Ukraine.
Moscow has yet to respond to either the report or India’s statement. The report also suggested that Russia had raised the issue with India on at least two occasions, including during a July meeting between the foreign ministers of both countries.
Indian regulations strictly prohibit the unauthorized transfer of weapons to third parties, and any violation could impact future arms sales. In May, India further tightened its export rules, requiring buyers to ensure that weapons are not redirected to third countries.
Despite maintaining a neutral stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, India has emphasized the importance of respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of nations, while advocating for diplomacy and dialogue to resolve the war.
India and Russia share a long-standing relationship, with Moscow remaining a key trade and defense partner for New Delhi. Russia was India’s largest oil supplier last year and continues to provide over 60% of India’s defense needs.
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi has refrained from criticizing Russia, his close ties with Moscow have raised concerns in the West. Modi referred to Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “dear friend” during a visit to Russia after his re-election in July, a move that drew criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Zelensky expressed disappointment, stating that he was “disappointed to see the leader of the world’s largest democracy embrace the world’s most bloody criminal in Moscow.”
Modi later visited Ukraine and held talks with Zelensky, a move analysts viewed as consistent with India’s traditional non-alignment stance in global geopolitics.
