The country has also expanded its defence supplies to Israel. By March 2026, India had become the third-largest foreign supplier of aircraft, helicopter and drone parts to Israel, moving up from ninth place in 2023.
India’s expanding defence industry is meeting demand from European countries seeking ammunition for Ukraine and their own defence requirements. At the same time, Indian manufacturers are supplying military equipment and ammunition to Israel in West Asia.
According to Simon Wezeman, a senior researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which studies the international arms trade, European countries are importing weapons from India to meet Ukraine’s needs and address Europe’s defence requirements.
India has a developed defence industry capable of supplying these demands. Walter Ladwig, a political scientist at King’s College London, said Indian companies are selling weapons to European countries rather than supplying them directly to Ukraine.
While India’s ammunition exports to Europe have increased significantly, its defence trade with Israel has also expanded. By March 2026, India had exported artillery shells, mortar rounds and explosives worth approximately Rs 630 crore to Israel over the preceding two years. This value was equivalent to the country’s total exports to Israel during the previous six years.
The figures highlight the growing role of India’s defence industry in supplying ammunition and military components to countries facing increased security requirements amid ongoing international conflicts.
The Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022, when Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine and captured large parts of the country. Fighting has continued between the two nations since then.
Russia controls approximately 20% of Ukraine’s territory. The conflict has killed thousands of civilians and soldiers, while millions of Ukrainians have been forced to leave their homes. By June 2023, approximately 8 million people had left Ukraine for other countries.
Meanwhile, India is also strengthening its domestic military capabilities. On Wednesday, the Defence Ministry signed a deal worth approximately Rs 770 crore with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) to procure Improved Low Level Light Weight Radars (LLLR-I), aimed at strengthening the Indian Army’s air defence capabilities.
India’s expanding ammunition exports to Europe and Israel, alongside investments in domestic air defence systems, underscore the growing importance of its defence manufacturing sector in meeting international demand and strengthening national military preparedness.
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