Delhi, India: On Tuesday, the Indian government announced that it had approved three bids totaling $523.03 million and costing Rs42.76 billion to purchase military and naval equipment.
As Sweden-based Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) ranked India among the world’s top arms importers in its annual report last year, the nation has been building and modifying its conventional arsenal for some time.
As the world’s largest purchaser of Russian arms seeks alternative suppliers at a time when Moscow is engaged in a war with Ukraine and is subject to sanctions, India is also turning to domestic businesses as well as nations in eastern Europe for military equipment and ammunition.
According to two government officials and a defense source from last year, New Delhi has long talked about diversifying the suppliers of its large armed forces and even making more equipment domestically. These goals have become more important since Russia’s invasion.
According to an online platform where the defense ministry lists its needs, India has identified Rs25.15 billion, or $324 million, worth of defense equipment that it wants domestic companies to produce and avoid purchasing abroad in 2022.
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Air Marshal Vibhas Pande, who oversees maintenance operations for the Indian Air Force, stated earlier this year, “The present world order and geopolitical scenario, which is very, very turbulent, has also taught us a lesson.”
“The only option is to have a totally self-reliant or self-sustained supply chain mechanism established within the country if we want to provide certainty and stability,” Pande stated to defense manufacturers in New Delhi.
However, the conflict in Ukraine, which Moscow refers to as a “special military operation,” was not specifically mentioned by him.
According to a different document, the Indian air force is looking for Sukhoi fighter jet ejection pods and Antonov transport aircraft propellers made in Ukraine.
According to Pande, the aim of the air force was to procure all batteries and tyres for critical aircraft fleets from domestic companies like MRF (MRF.NS) within three years.
According to a senior government official who spoke on the condition of anonymity, India wants to produce as much as half of its defense equipment domestically.
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A request for clarification regarding India’s dependence on Moscow for military hardware and whether concerns regarding the war in Ukraine and Russia’s sluggish progress were raised did not receive an immediate response from the defense ministry.
According to Brahma Chellaney, a defense and strategic affairs analyst in New Delhi, India has increased its purchases of equipment from the United States, France, and Israel in recent years. Despite this, India has benefited from Russian equipment in the past.
“Defense transition is always a gradual process of evolution. He stated, “You can’t switch suppliers overnight.”
According to the SIPRI Arms Transfers Database, India employs 1.38 million people in its armed forces and is one of the world’s largest arms importers, spending $12.4 billion between 2018 and 2021, with Russia contributing $5.51 billion.
Kalashnikov rifles and tanks made in Russia are in use by the Indian Army. Sukhoi fighter jets and Mi-17 transport helicopters are used by its air force, and the navy’s aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, was once part of the Russian navy.
Britain and the United States, two of India’s Western partners, indicated earlier this year that they would be open to expanding their defense offerings to New Delhi.
Three-pronged approach
The second government official stated that the army is working on a three-pronged strategy to maintain readiness. The army spends a lot of effort guarding India’s long borders with China and Pakistan, having fought wars with both of these neighbors.
The government is looking into which eastern European nations may supply ammunition and spare parts and use platforms and weapons that are comparable to those used by the Indian military.
The official, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter, stated, “We have alternative options in case (Russian) supply lines are strained.”
The official added that Russian counterparts are also being urged by Indian authorities to complete some important projects that have already been agreed upon.
These include a deal to build a new factory in northern India that will produce over 600,000 Kalashnikov AK-203 assault rifles and supply S-400 missile systems.
The drive to indigenize and diversify is already having an effect on some Indian businesses.
According to a source in the industry, inquiries for assault rifles have increased at PLR Systems, a small arms manufacturer in India that is a joint venture of the Adani Group and Israel Weapon Industries.
The Israeli-designed Galil ACE assault rifle is available from PLR Systems as an alternative to Russian Kalashnikov weapons.
The source, who did not wish to be identified due to the private nature of the discussions, stated, “The demand for rifles is from states and the central armed police forces also.” None of them can obtain it from the outside at this time.
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India-Russia joint venture
The chairman of an India-Russia joint venture that produces nuclear-capable supersonic cruise missiles stated that the company hopes to secure orders worth $5 billion by 2025. The joint venture’s first export agreement with the Philippines, which was for $375 million, was signed last year.
Chairman Atul D Rane disclosed to Reuters partner ANI that BrahMos Aerospace is in discussions with Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam regarding new orders.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship make-in-India program is reflected in the joint venture, which is 50.5% Indian and 49.5% Russian.
Under license, India has produced Russian Su-30 and MiG fighter aircraft, and the two nations have collaborated to produce BrahMos missiles in India.
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in April of last year that the two countries were talking about “additional” Russian military equipment production in India.
India, which has not explicitly condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has become Moscow’s second-largest oil customer after China as Indian refiners purchase discounted Russian oil that some Western buyers reject.
“By 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a goal of exporting $5 billion worth of defense products. Rane stated, “I hope BrahMos themselves will be able to reach the $5 billion goal by 2025.”
The surface-to-surface supersonic BrahMos missile, which can be fired from land, sea, or subsea platforms, is currently used by India’s military.
Source: Reuters