Inaccurate And Mischievous: Government Rejects Reports Of Diversion Of Indian Defence Exports To Ukraine

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) rejected reports on Thursday claiming that India’s defence exports were diverted to Ukraine, calling them speculative and misleading.

“We’ve seen the Reuters report. It’s speculative and misleading. It implies violations by India where none exist, and thus is inaccurate and misleading,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

The Ministry also stated that India has a track record of meeting international commitments.

“India has an impeccable track record of meeting international obligations regarding the export of military and dual-use items. India has carried out its defence exports in accordance with its international non-proliferation obligations, as well as its own robust legal and regulatory framework, which includes a comprehensive assessment of relevant criteria, including end-user obligations and certifications,” the statement reads.

According to a Reuters report on Thursday, artillery shells sold by Indian defence manufacturers were diverted to Ukraine. Despite Russia’s demands, India has intervened in the matter, according to the report, which cites eleven Indian and European government and defence industry officials as well as customs data.

According to the report, the transfer of defence exports has been ongoing for over a year.

Russia has raised this issue twice before, including during a meeting in July between Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishanka and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, according to the report, citing three government officials.

India’s defence exports reached a record high of ₹21,083 crore in FY24, up 32.5% from ₹15,920 crore in FY23. Defence exports have increased 31 times in the last ten years.

Both the private sector and Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) contributed to exports. The government stated that the private sector contributed 60% and DPSUs contributed 40%.

Furthermore, the number of export authorisations granted to defence exporters increased in FY24 to 1,507 from 1,414 in FY23, according to government data.