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Concerns around India-made ammunition allegedly reaching Ukraine through Europe, was recently brought to the attention of New Delhi by Moscow that India-made, according to a report by The Economic Times (ET). Reports among Russian and Ukrainian sources suggest that Ukraine may have received Indian 155mm artillery shells during the third quarter of the previous year.
India, however, is not listed among the nations supplying ammunition to Ukraine, raising questions about how the Indian-made artillery ended up in Kiev. The suspicion is that a third party, possibly operating through Slovenia or Poland, sent the ammunition to Ukraine.
Sources indicated to ET, that India's security establishment is actively investigating the possibility of Indian-made artillery finding its way into a third country through arms dealers or in collusion with a partner nation. The procurement of these artillery shells is believed to have occurred indirectly through a third party.
Allegations point toward a Western country as the likely intermediary that procured the 155mm artillery shells from India and subsequently transported them to Ukraine via a European state, possibly a NATO member.
Pakistan's transport of arms to Ukraine via Europe
This comes after reports from last June, indicating that arms from Pakistan were transported to Ukraine through Jordan and Poland, utilising a US-flagged ship. The shipments included air defense vehicles, multiple-barrel rocket launchers, recovery vehicles, cartridges, and spare parts. Pakistani firm Kestral Trading, which established a firm in Warsaw under the name 'Balferrten Investments,' played a role in facilitating these supplies.
Arms were shipped from Pakistan to Ukraine via Poland or Germany, facilitated by a deal between the UK's Ministry of Defence and the Pakistan Ordnance Board.
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India denies claims of sending ammunitions
India's External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, stated on Thursday evening that New Delhi has not sent or exported any artillery ammunition to Ukraine. In a media briefing, Jaiswal categorically denied the reports, emphasising that India has not contributed to the artillery ammunition in question reaching Ukraine.
"Regarding the question on Ukraine, yesterday (January 3), our foreign minister had discussions with the foreign minister there (Ukraine). And during the discussions, the focus was on our bilateral cooperation. And secondly, the discussions also included the ongoing conflict in the region. So, these were the two main issues discussed," Jaiswal stated in Hindi.
"We can categorically say that we have not sent any of these artillery ammunitions to Ukraine. Not exported, we have not sent," he added.
