India is contemplating the expansion of collaborative defense projects with Russia as it revisits its arms acquisition strategy, as reported by Reuters on Tuesday, citing three sources knowledgeable about the situation.
A delegation of officials from the Indian defense sector traveled to Moscow on October 29-30, marking the first such visit since Russia’s military actions in Ukraine, according to Reuters.
The discussions involved at least six high-ranking executives from prominent Indian public and private companies, as well as participants from drone and military AI startups, according to sources cited by Reuters.
Topics of conversation reportedly included the production of components for MiG-29 fighter jets and Russian air defense systems. Additionally, Russia proposed establishing facilities in India for the development of equipment that could later be exported back to Russia.
Following President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi on December 5, both nations expressed their intention to transition their defense collaboration “toward joint research and development, co-development, and co-production of advanced defense technologies and systems.”
Among those present was a high-ranking official from Bharat Forge, a supplier of parts for rockets and artillery.
Adani Defense and Aerospace’s CEO, Ashish Rajvanshi, also participated, along with a representative from the Society of Indian Defense Manufacturers, according to Reuters’ sources.
The Adani Group denied any involvement in the discussions. The Indian Defense Ministry and other firms did not respond to requests for comments.
One Indian executive told Reuters that companies are cautious about deepening ties with Russia due to potential secondary sanctions, which could jeopardize both ongoing and prospective projects with Western partners.
Historically, Russia has been a major arms supplier to India, which is among the world’s largest arms importers. In recent years, India has sought to diversify its sources and bolster domestic production.
India is already engaged in co-production of missiles and Kalashnikov rifles with Russia; however, delays in the delivery of AK-203 assembly kits from Russia previously compelled New Delhi to procure 73,000 rifles from the United States.
While Russia accounted for 76% of India’s arms imports from 2009 to 2013, that proportion decreased to 36% between 2019 and 2023, as reported by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
