Why Did India’s Defense Giants Meet In Russia – Is A Big Weapons Deal On The Card? , world news

New Delhi: Setting off speculations, senior executives from India’s top defense manufacturers, including Adani Defense and Bharat Forge, recently held meetings in Russia. The visits came at a time when New Delhi is reassessing how it sources and builds military hardware, with a growing focus on joint production rather than outright imports.

The visit stood out because it took place at a time when Russia is still involved in a war with Ukraine. It is the first time that the Indian defense business leaders have traveled to the country since the war began there in 2022.

According to a Reuters report, three individuals familiar with the discussions confirmed that the meetings did indeed take place. For decades, India has relied heavily on Russian military hardware.

The report said New Delhi now wants to gradually revamp that relationship. Instead of simply buying equipment, India is exploring ways to build weapons jointly with Moscow so that India’s long-term military needs can be met through local production.

However, the Adani Defense and the Bharat Forge told Reuters that the information linking them to these meetings was incorrect.

Could Western Countries Push Back?

The possibility of India and Russia jointly manufacturing new defense systems has stirred concerns in Western capitals. India is among the world’s largest buyers of weapons, and it has made it clear that it wants to become a major defense producer in the coming years.

Western governments worry that if India continues to strengthen cooperation with Moscow, they may become reluctant to share technology.

Officials in the West have pointed to India’s existing dependence on Russian equipment. Nearly 36% of the weapons currently used by the Indian military are of Russian origin.

For them, this is a major obstacle when it comes to transferring high-end technology.

When Did These Meetings Happen?

The meetings in Moscow were held on October 29 and 30. It took place just before Russian President Vladimir Putin visited New Delhi. The Indian side was led by Sanjiv Kumar, the defense production secretary, who was heading a delegation focused on the defence-industrial partnership.

This visit also formed part of the groundwork for Putin’s trip to New Delhi on December 4-5. During the visit, executives from the Society of Indian Defense Manufacturers (SIDM) were also present.

The SIDM represents over 500 companies, including Tata Sons and Bharat Electronics.

Who Was In The Room?

Sources said the delegation included representatives from private companies, public-sector firms and several Indian startups working in drones, AI-driven defense systems and other emerging technologies.

An executive associated with the Bharat Forge, which is part of the Kalyani Group, participated in the talks, which covered the possibility of jointly producing parts for Russian tanks and aircraft and even exploring opportunities for collaboration in future helicopter programs.

Media reports also suggest that spokespeople for the Adani Group and the Bharat Forge denied that their executives had traveled to Moscow. The defense ministry and other companies involved did not comment.

Russia is India’s most important weapons supplier. Roughly 36% of India’s military inventory still comes from Russian platforms.

During Putin’s visit, both sides agreed to push the partnership towards joint research and development of advanced defense systems, and step up co-production efforts within India.

The idea is to help India gradually become self-reliant in defense manufacturing.

Behind the scenes, the meetings in Moscow suggest that both sides may already be preparing for a new phase in their partnership. It moves beyond buyer-seller transactions and brings Indian companies into deeper industrial collaboration with Russia.