New Delhi: In the period from 2020 to 2024, India purchased 8.3% of the world’s total arms, making it the second largest buyer. During this period, India’s arms purchases from Russia have decreased.
There are several reasons for this, such as the increasing capability of indigenous arms manufacturing in India and delays in the supply chain following the Russia-Ukraine war.
Compared to 2015-19, there has been a 9.3% decline in India’s arms purchases between 2020 and 2024. During 2019-23, India accounted for 10% of the world’s total arms purchases, which fell to 8.3% in 2020-24. During this time, Russia remained India’s main arms supplier, but its share decreased to 36%. Currently, 64% of India’s arms procurement is a mixture of indigenous and Western arms.
The Russian share in India’s defense imports declined from 2015-19 to 2020-24 is 36%, and from 2010-14 to 2020-24 it is 55%, and it is as much as 72% from 2000-2019. Between 2015-19 and 2020-24, Russia’s arms sales fell by 64%. This decline had already started before the attack on Ukraine in 2022. Compared to 2000-2019, Russia sold 22% to 73% fewer weapons in 2020 and 2021.
Since 2010, 62% of India’s weapons have come from Russia, and India has accounted for 32% of Russia’s total arms exports. From 2016, India has been the largest buyer of Russian weapons, but between 2014-18 and 2019-23, exports from Russia to India decreased by 34%. Between 2016-20, Russia’s total arms exports were 22% lower compared to 2011-15, with a 53% decline in exports to India being the main reason. The primary cause of this decline is the growing indigenous weapon manufacturing capacity in India, which has reduced dependence on foreign weapons. Russia is still willing to provide advanced weapons and technology to India, but India no longer wants to rely on just one country. The delays in supply due to the Russia-Ukraine war have also contributed to this change. India now has several options, such as France, Germany, and the UK, which are providing India with capabilities like fighter jets, submarines, and technology for indigenous defense programs.
‘A major shift in India’s defense shopping’ After the ‘Make in India’ initiative, there has been a tremendous surge in India’s defense production capacity. Under the Make in India initiative, India is successfully mass-producing indigenous weapons such as the Akash air defense system, BrahMos supersonic missile, Dhanush and ATAGS artillery, K9 Vajra, Prachand attack helicopter, Dhruv helicopter, rocket launchers, artillery shells, Varunastra torpedo, INS Vikrant aircraft carrier, INS Kolkata destroyer, among others, and is also selling them to countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, and Armenia.
India’s role in purchasing arms from Russia is also changing now. A parliamentary report from April 2001 stated that Russia no longer offers ‘friendship prices’ to India, and its high commission fees have also become a matter of concern. The report suggested that India should invite global tenders for all its defense purchases. In September 2001, the United States lifted the arms embargo on India, making it easier for India to purchase weapons from the U.S., France, Israel, and European countries. The removal of U.S. sanctions provided new options for India. To compete with China, India needs modern weapons and technology, which are currently available from the U.S. and Western countries.