At least half a dozen executives from top Indian arms manufacturers, including Adani Defence and Aerospace and Bharat Forge, attended rare meetings in Russia this year to discuss potential joint ventures, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The meetings marked the first visit by Indian defence business leaders to Russia since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and had not previously been reported. India is seeking to recalibrate its decades-old defence relationship with Russia by shifting towards joint development and production of weapons.
Companies Deny Attendance, Sources Stand by Account
After the article was published, a spokesperson for Bharat Forge denied that any of its executives attended the meetings, while an Adani Group spokesperson reiterated a similar denial.
“No Adani representative attended or participated in any meetings in Russia — official or otherwise,” an Adani spokesperson said. “Any reporting that states or implies otherwise is false.”
Following publication, the three sources and an additional government source reaffirmed to Reuters that the meetings had taken place and that representatives from Adani Group and Bharat Forge were present.
A Reuters spokesperson said: “We stand by our reporting.”
India’s defence ministry declined to comment and had not responded to earlier requests for comment.
Strategic Risks for India’s Defence Industry
Any collaboration with Russia risks complicating India’s efforts to partner with Western arms manufacturers under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s drive to turn India into a global defence manufacturing hub.
Western diplomats have said a major obstacle to transferring sensitive military technology to India remains its close defence ties with Russia and the high proportion of Russian-origin equipment in India’s arsenal, estimated at about 36%.
Talks Linked to High-Level Defence Engagement
The discussions in Moscow were held on the sidelines of a visit by an Indian defence-industrial delegation on October 29–30, led by Defence Production Secretary Sanjeev Kumar.
The visit was aimed at laying groundwork for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India on December 4–5.
Joint Production and Manufacturing Proposals
The meetings focused on the potential manufacture of spare parts for Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter jets and other Russian-origin air defence and weapons systems, according to two sources and another industry executive.
Russia also proposed setting up production facilities in India to jointly develop defence equipment that could potentially be exported back to Russia, the sources said. All spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the discussions.
During Putin’s visit, India and Russia said they had agreed to reorient their defence partnership toward joint research, co-development and co-production to support India’s defence self-reliance goals.
Indian Defence Executives in Attendance
The delegation included executives from defence units of Indian conglomerates, state-owned firms, and startups working on drones and artificial intelligence for military use, the sources said.
An executive from Bharat Forge, part of the Kalyani Group, attended to explore sourcing or joint development of components for Russian-origin tanks and aircraft, as well as potential collaboration on helicopters, two sources said.
Adani Defence and Aerospace was represented by its chief executive, Ashish Rajvanshi, according to the sources.
An executive from the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM), which represents more than 500 arms and military equipment makers, also attended, the sources said.
An SIDM spokesperson denied that any representative of the group attended such meetings.
Other Firms Respond
Spokespeople for Tata Sons and Larsen & Toubro said none of their representatives were present at meetings in Russia. Reuters could not independently confirm whether state-owned Bharat Electronics participated; it did not respond to a request for comment.
Retired Lieutenant General Arun Sahni, an adviser to Tata Sons’ defence unit, said after the Reuters report that he was in Moscow in November in a personal capacity and did not attend the meetings held on October 29–30. He said he was aware the meetings had occurred but did not know which firms were involved.
Sanctions Concerns Loom Over Future Deals
Indian firms may be reluctant to pursue new deals with Russia due to the risk of secondary sanctions, an Indian defence executive said.
Reuters reported in 2024 that a Bharat Forge subsidiary was among three Indian companies that exported artillery shells to Europe, some of which were later diverted to Ukraine, prompting a diplomatic protest from Moscow.
While India may use diplomatic engagement to mitigate sanctions risks, an Indian defence official said companies would ultimately need to assess and manage the political risks themselves.
With information fro an exclusive Reuters report.
