The world’s largest buyer of Russian weapons seeks more supplies

Russia-Ukraine conflict promotes supply diversification

India has long talked about diversifying weapons suppliers for its large armed forces as well as making more domestic weapons. However, this goal has become a new urgency since the conflict Russia – Ukraine outbreak, 2 government officials and 1 source from the Indian defense force shared with Reuters.

India has identified 25.15 billion rupees ($324 million) worth of defense equipment that it wants domestic companies to produce this year and avoid buying abroad, according to an online platform that The Indian Ministry of Defense lists the necessary equipment.

In May, Air Marshal Vibhas Pande, who directs maintenance operations for the Indian Air Force, warned that the current world order and geopolitical upheavals “taught us a lesson”.

“If we want to provide certainty and stability, then the only option is to establish a fully self-sufficient supply chain mechanism in the country,” Field Marshal Pande told defense manufacturers in New Delhi. .

The Indian Air Force is looking for equipment such as the launch chamber for the Russian-designed Sukhoi fighter jet and the propeller for the Ukrainian-made Antonov transport plane, according to another document.

Marshal Pande said, within 3 years, the force Indian Air Force aims to use all tires and batteries for important fleets of aircraft from domestic companies such as MRF.

India aims to produce up to half of its defense equipment in the country, a senior government official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Brahma Chellaney, a defense and strategic affairs analyst in New Delhi, said that Russian equipment has served India well in recent years, although in recent years the South Asian country has increase the purchase of weapons from countries such as America, France and Israel.

“The defense transition is always a slow process. You can’t change suppliers overnight,” he said.

India has 1.38 million people in the armed forces and is one of the largest arms importer in the world. India spent $12.4 billion between 2018 and 2021 on arms, of which Russia accounted for $5.51 billion, according to SIPRI’s arms transfers database.

The Indian Army is equipped with Russian-made Kalashnikov rifles and tanks. This South Asian national air force uses Sukhoi fighters and Mi-17 transport helicopters, while the Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya was formerly part of the Russian naval fleet.

In recent months, several of India’s Western partners, including the UK and the US, have signaled their readiness to increase defense services to New Delhi.

3-pronged approach

A second Indian government official told Reuters the military is taking a three-pronged approach to maintaining readiness.

The Indian government is looking into which Eastern European countries use similar weapons and platforms Indian Army and can supply spare parts and ammunition.

“In case the (Russian) supply lines are strained, we have alternatives,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Indian officials are also urging their Russian partners to carry out some of the important projects that have been agreed upon, the official added.

Important Russian-Indian projects have been agreed to include system supply S-400 . missile and an agreement to manufacture more than 600,000 Kalashnikov AK-203 assault rifles at a new factory in northern India.

Several Indian companies have been seeing the impact of promoting diversification and growth. At Indian small arms manufacturer PLR Systems, a joint venture between the Adani Group and Israel Weapon Industries, requirements for assault rifles have increased since the conflict in Ukraine began, a source said. in the industry said.

PLR Systems offers Israeli-designed Galil ACE assault rifle as an alternative to Russian Kalashnikov.

“Demand for rifles from the states and the central armed police force. Currently, none of them can buy rifles from outside,” the source revealed.