New Delhi: India has been actively supplying weapons to Ukraine by utilizing multiple European intermediaries over the past year. This development is part of India’s broader strategy to expand its arms export sector, which has seen substantial growth in recent times.

According to Kashmir Media Service, internationally recognized customs records have revealed that India has been providing arms to Ukraine since the onset of the conflict with Russia. The report details that Indian-made weapons have been routed to Ukraine via Italy and the Czech Republic, indicating a significant shift in India’s position in the global arms market.

The transfer of arms has been facilitated by companies such as the Italian defense contractor Meccanica per l’Elettronica e Servomeccanismi (MES), which plays an instrumental role in the logistics of moving Indian weapons to Ukraine. The report also noted that India’s arms exports from February 2022 to July 2024 amounted to $135.25 million.

Arzan Tarapore, an Indian defense expert at Stanford University, commented on the situation, suggesting that Delhi’s efforts to boost arms exports are crucial for its strategic interests, including its weapons transfers to Ukraine. This move by India has not gone unnoticed, provoking reactions from Russia on multiple occasions. The issue was raised during a meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Indian counterpart in July, and again during a September 2024 meeting in Kazakhstan.

Furthermore, the report highlighted that India is not only supplying arms to Ukraine but has also been involved in recent arms shipments to Israel, with weapons transiting through Spain on a vessel named Borkum.

As India continues to assert its presence in the global arms trade, the implications for regional and international security dynamics are becoming increasingly significant, raising questions about the long-term impact of such activities on global geopolitical relationships.

Source: Kashmir Media Service