Senior executives from prominent Indian defense firms, including Adani Defence and Bharat Forge, recently engaged in meetings within Russia, sparking widespread speculation about a potential significant arms deal. These discussions mark the first such high-level interactions since the conflict in Ukraine began in 2022. India has historically been a major importer of Russian military hardware, but the current focus appears to be shifting towards joint production and local manufacturing.
While sources familiar with the matter confirmed the meetings, both Adani Defence and Bharat Forge have denied that their executives participated in these specific discussions. This development comes as India aims to bolster its defense manufacturing capabilities and reduce its reliance on outright imports. The prospect of joint ventures between India and Russia in defense systems has reportedly raised concerns among Western nations, who are key technology partners for India. They worry that closer ties with Moscow could impact the sharing of advanced military technology, given India’s substantial existing dependence on Russian equipment, estimated at around 36% of its current inventory.
The meetings reportedly took place on October 29th and 30th, preceding Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi. The Indian delegation was led by the defense production secretary and included representatives from the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM), an organization representing over 500 companies. These discussions explored possibilities for co-producing components for Russian tanks and aircraft, as well as future helicopter programs. The ultimate goal for India is to achieve greater self-reliance in defense manufacturing through enhanced industrial collaboration with Russia, moving beyond traditional buyer-seller relationships.