‘Inaccurate, Mischievous’: India On Claims That Its Defence Exports Were Diverted To Ukraine

The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday dismissed the reports of Indian defence exports being diverted to Ukraine and said those were ‘speculative and misleading’.

Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the report by a news agency implied India was violating international rules and said such an assertion was ‘inaccurate and mischievous’ since no violations were committed.

“We have seen the Reuters report. It is speculative and misleading. It implies violations by India, where none exist and, hence, is inaccurate and mischievous,” Jaiswal said, as per a press release by the ministry.

He also said that India has a flawless record of adhering to international regulations on the export of military and dual-use items.

“India has an impeccable track record of compliance with international obligations on the export of military and dual use items. India has been carrying out its defence exports taking into account its international obligations on non-proliferation and based on its own robust legal and regulatory framework, which includes a holistic assessment of relevant criteria, including end user obligations and certifications,” he said.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) responded after a Reuters report claimed that artillery shells produced by Indian arms manufacturers have been redirected by European buyers to Ukraine. According to the report, this transfer has been ongoing for over a year to support Ukraine’s defense against Russia, and India has not intervened to halt the trade, despite objections from Russia.

Reuters, citing two anonymous government and two defence industry sources, reported that India has produced only a small fraction of the ammunition used by Ukraine. One official estimated it to be less than 1% of the total arms imported by Kyiv since the war began.