Moscow supplied India with arms worth $13 billion in last 5 years: Russian agencies

Russian state news agencies reported late on Sunday that India received arms worth around $13 billion from Russia in the past five years. Moreover, New Delhi has further placed orders with Moscow for weapons and military equipment exceeding $10 billion.

India accounts for around 20 per cent of Moscow's current order book and is the world's biggest buyer of Russian arms. While New Delhi has not openly condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for dialogue and diplomacy to solve the conflict.

Dmitry Shugayev, the head of Russia's Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, told the agencies that India, China and some Southeast Asian countries have continued to have interest in buying Russian arms.

"Despite the unprecedented pressure on India from Western countries led by the United States in connection with Russia's special operation in Ukraine, it continues to be one of Russia's main partners in the field of military-technical cooperation," Interfax agency quoted Shugayev as saying.

The agency reported that annual arms exports have been about $14-15 billion, with the order book steady at around $50 billion.

Notably, following Ukraine's invasion, several Western countries imposed sanctions on Russia, including on arms. Moscow has maintained that it is carrying out a "special military operation".

Russia's S-400 Triumf missile defence systems, short-range surface-to-air missiles systems such as the Osa, Pechora or Strela, as well as Su-30 warplanes, MiG-29 helicopters and drones have been of special interest to Asian countries, Shugayev said.

According to TASS state news agency, Russia is set to present about 200 samples of weapons and military equipment at the 14th international aerospace exhibition Aero India 2023 in Bengaluru.

India is scouting for billions of dollars worth of military planes, completing jetliner deals to meet civilian demand and pressing global aircraft manufacturers to produce more locally at the show this week.

(With inputs from agencies)

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