India refutes report claiming defense exports to Ukraine, calls it ‘speculative, misleading’

India on Sep 19 refuted reports of Reuters, an international news agency claiming diversion of Indian defense exports to Ukraine, calling them "speculative and misleading".

India has an impeccable track record of compliance with international obligations on the export of military and dual-use items, said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a statement.

"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," MEA said.

"India has been carrying out its defense 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," it added.

MEA's response came hours after news agency Reuters reported that artillery shells sold by Indian arms makers have been diverted by European customers to Ukraine. New Delhi has not intervened to stop the trade despite protests from Russia, the agency said in its report.

Citing sources, the report further states that the transfer of munitions to support Ukraine's defense against Russia has occurred for more than a year.

The global news agency Reuters while quoting two anonymous government and two defense industry sources said that India produced a very small amount of the ammunition being used by Ukraine, with one official estimating that it was under 1% of the total arms imported by Kyiv since the war.

The MEA’s statement follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which they discussed the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Modi had also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Aug 23, urging both sides to seek a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

While India has strengthened its defense and diplomatic ties with Washington, particularly in response to the rise of China, it also maintains a longstanding relationship with Russia, its key arms supplier. India did not participate in the Western-led sanctions against Moscow despite these ties.