India Denies Report on Ammunition Transfer to Ukraine as `Misleading`

India has strongly denied a news report that claimed Indian-made artillery shells were being transferred to Ukraine through European buyers. The report, published by Reuters, said that European customers were sending Indian-made ammunition to Ukraine without India stopping them. According to the report, this had been happening for over a year, despite Russia, a close ally of India, raising concerns about it. India's foreign ministry quickly responded, calling the report "speculative" and "misleading." Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesperson for the ministry, stated on social media that India has not violated any rules and follows international obligations carefully. He also pointed out that India has strict export regulations, ensuring weapons are used only by the countries they were sold to.

Russia has not yet commented on the situation. According to the report, European countries like Italy and the Czech Republic were sending Indian ammunition to Ukraine, but the amount was very small — less than 1% of the total arms imported by Ukraine since the start of the war with Russia. Ukraine is currently facing a shortage of artillery ammunition as it defends itself against Russian forces. The report also mentioned that Russia raised the issue with India twice, including during a meeting between the two countries’ foreign ministers.

India, while not directly criticizing Russia for its actions in Ukraine, has repeatedly emphasized the importance of respecting other countries' borders and has called for diplomacy to end the conflict. India and Russia have a long-standing relationship, especially in trade and defense, with Russia being a major supplier of oil and military equipment to India. Although India has balanced its relationships with both Russia and Ukraine, the report of ammunition being transferred to Ukraine could potentially strain ties with Moscow. ⚡ ImageCredit: GettyImages