Bloomberg: India weans off Russian weapons, shifts to Western ones

India has significantly scaled back its defence purchases from Russia, opting instead to procure more weapons from Western suppliers, according to officials familiar with the matter.

This marks a major shift for a country historically reliant on Moscow for military equipment, Caliber.Az writes referencing Bloomberg.

Joint plans between India and Russia to develop and produce helicopters and advanced fighter jets have been abandoned, as disclosed by senior Indian officials who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the discussions.

Additionally, a proposal to lease a nuclear-powered submarine from Russia to train Indian crews is now considered unlikely, as India is focusing on building its own fleet. Currently, the only pending deliveries from Moscow are two warships and batteries for an anti-missile shield, which were ordered prior to the Ukraine conflict. 

India, the world’s largest arms importer, has been steadily reducing its dependency on Russian weapons. According to a March report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Russia's share in India’s arms imports dropped to 36% last year, a sharp decline from 76% in 2009. 

The shift highlights Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s broader strategy to diversify India’s defense partnerships and reduce reliance on Russian military supplies, even while continuing to buy discounted Russian energy and offering diplomatic backing to President Vladimir Putin. 

Concurrently, India has deepened its defence ties with the United States, solidifying the relationship as Washington seeks a key ally in the Indo-Pacific region.

According to the US Congressional Research Service, India has signed contracts worth nearly $20 billion for American defence equipment since 2018. Notable deals include a $3 billion agreement approved in October for 31 long-range drones from General Atomics, a prominent US defence manufacturer.

By Khagan Isayev