India has been supplying weapons to Ukraine through multiple European buyers over the past year, according to a recent international report. Custom records and other sources indicate that India has been providing arms to Ukraine since the onset of the conflict with Russia.
The report, cited by Reuters, states that Indian-made weapons have been routed to Ukraine via Italy and the Czech Republic. This development comes as India seeks to expand its arms export sector, with the country having previously exported weapons to Italy, the Czech Republic, Spain, and Slovenia.
Between February 2022 and July 2024, India's arms exports amounted to $135.25 million, as per 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 September 2024 meeting with Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Kazakhstan.
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.
