New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government on Thursday (Sep 19) refuted a recent report and its assertions that artillery shells sold by Indian arms makers were being diverted by European customers to Ukraine while New Delhi refused to intervene. 

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Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, called the Reuters report 'speculative and misleading' during the weekly media briefing. 

"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," Jaiswal said. 

"India has an impeccable track record of compliance with international obligations on the export of military and dual-use items," he added. 

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The ministry cleared that India has been carrying out its exports in line with international regulations and "based on its own robust legal and regulatory framework, which includes a holistic assessment of relevant criteria, including end-user obligations and certifications". 

Watch | Russia-Ukraine war: Meloni for India mediating Russia-Ukraine

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What did the report claim?

The report published on Thursday, citing 11 Indian and European government and defence industry officials, claimed that the transfer of ammunition from India to Ukraine had been happening for more than a year, even while Russia protested. 

It added that Moscow had raised the issue on at least two occasions, including during a meeting in July between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Indian counterpart. 

"Two Indian government and two defence industry sources told Reuters that Delhi produced only a very small amount of the ammunition being used by Ukraine, with one official estimating that it was under 1 per cent of the total arms imported by Kyiv since the war." the report claimed, adding that Italy and Czechia were sending Indian munitions to Ukraine.  

Also read | Can India play a role in ending the war in Ukraine?

According to official estimates, India exported just over $3 billion of arms between 2018 and 2023.

The report comes at a time when PM Modi is being pushed as one of the few global leaders to mediate a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. New Delhi enjoys a warm relationship with both Moscow and Kyiv, with PM Modi meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky. 

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also called for PM Modi to play an active role in resolving the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

(With inputs from agencies)