India’s New Delhi — During his visit to Moscow at the beginning of July, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to Russia as his “all-weather friend” and “trusted ally,” citing their long-standing strategic partnership.
However, that partnership is being put to the test less than three months later, particularly in light of claims that Kyiv has obtained Indian munitions and is utilizing it in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. According to a Reuters news agency investigation, Indian shells purchased by Italy and the Czech Republic may have found their way into Ukraine.
The claim comes after a slew of battlefront photos surfaced in recent months, depicting Ukrainian forces using Indian ammo to retaliate against Russia.
In the meantime, Modi has met with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, on several occasions. The first meeting took place in Tokyo in June, followed by the first-ever visit of an Indian prime minister to Kyiv in August, and last week, on the fringes of the UN General Assembly, in New York.
Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesman for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, called press reports claiming that Ukraine was utilizing Indian munitions “speculative and mischievous.” While he refuted India’s breach of any regulations, he did not explicitly dispute the existence of Indian shells in Ukraine’s arsenal.
But Russian officials are unconvinced by India’s response, and pose a central question: Has New Delhi pressured buyers of its shells to make sure it does not reach the war in Ukraine