Ammunition From India Diverted To Ukraine? What Government Said

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India has dismissed a report by Reuters that claimed ammunition sold by Indian manufacturers was diverted to Ukraine by European customers. The MEA termed the report as "inaccurate and mischievous" and stated that it was speculative and misleading. According to the report, Indian arms manufacturers sold artillery shells to European customers, who then diverted them to Ukraine. The report also claimed that the Indian government was aware of this diversion but did not intervene to stop the trade, despite protests from Russia. However, the MEA denied these allegations and emphasized that India has an impeccable track record of compliance with international obligations on the export of military and dual-use items. The MEA spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, stated that India carries out its defense exports based on its international obligations on non-proliferation and its own robust legal and regulatory framework. The Reuters report cited conversations with Indian and European government and defense industry officials, as well as an analysis of commercially available customs data, to support its claims. The report also stated that the supply of munitions had been happening for over a year and that the Kremlin had raised the issue with India at least twice. However, two Indian government sources and two defense industry sources told Reuters that India produced only a small amount of the ammunition being used by Ukraine, estimated to be under 1% of the total arms imported by Kyiv since the war. The report also mentioned that European countries such as Italy and the Czech Republic were sending Indian munitions to Ukraine. The MEA's denial of the allegations highlights the complexities of the situation and the need for accurate information to understand the role of India in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.