(CNN) Russia is unable to meet its arms supply commitments to India because of the war in Ukraine, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said, possibly straining New Delhi’s relationship with its largest arms supplier as Moscow seeks to increase arms Production.
An IAF representative told an Indian parliamentary committee that due to the Ukraine war, a “large shipment” from Moscow “will not take place”.
The recording, published in a report by India’s lower house on Tuesday, is the first official confirmation from Indian authorities amid swirling rumors and reports in local media suggesting flaws in Russia’s capacity.
“They wrote to us saying they couldn’t deliver it,” the representative said, according to the report.
CNN has contacted the Russian embassy in New Delhi, but has received no response at the time of publication.
The report did not mention the details of the delivery.
The largest ongoing delivery is the S-400 Triumf air defense system units, which India bought for $5.4 billion in 2018. Three of those systems have been delivered and two more are expected, Portal reported.
The IAF also depends on Russia for spare parts for its Su-30MKI and MiG-29 fighter jets, the mainstay of the service industry, according to Portal.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Russia is the second largest arms exporter in the world.
Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a large-scale effort to build capacity to produce more weapons for war, a move he said was “much needed.”
Putin’s order also followed repeated complaints from Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin that his mercenaries were not getting enough ammunition in their long struggle for the eastern city of Bakhmut.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their meeting on the sidelines of the 11th edition of the BRICS summit in Brasilia, Brazil November 13, 2019.
Strained Relationships
New Delhi has strong ties with Moscow dating back to the Cold War and remains heavily dependent on the Kremlin for its military hardware – a vital link given the ongoing tensions along India’s shared Himalayan border with an increasingly assertive China.
The IAF’s acceptance is “very serious,” said Harsh V. Pant, vice president for studies and foreign policy at the New Delhi-based Think Thank Observer Research Foundation.
“I think it underscores the issues that (India) have been plaguing this relationship for quite some time,” he added. “And the Ukraine crisis has accelerated a trend that India has long sought to diversify and has worried about its over-reliance on Russia.”
A SIPRI report released this month says Russia remains India’s largest arms supplier despite a fall in arms imports from 62% to 45% between 2017 and 2022.
Experts have suggested the drop could be as India tries to diversify its imports and push more domestic equipment.
Last September, a US State Department official said Washington was in “deep” talks with India over its reliance on Russian arms and energy.
Russia “is no longer a reliable arms supplier,” and Indian officials “are beginning to realize there could be real advantages for them (in finding other markets),” the official told reporters in New York.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, India, the world’s largest democracy, has cautiously walked a middle ground.
New Delhi has refused to condemn Moscow’s brutal attack in several United Nations resolutions. And rather than sever economic ties with the Kremlin, India has undermined Western sanctions by increasing its purchases of Russian oil, coal and fertilizers.
India also has close ties with the West — particularly the United States — as it works to thwart China’s rise.
As Putin continues his aggression and drives up food and fuel prices, experts have suggested Moscow’s actions in Ukraine could test New Delhi’s patience.
And the public disclosure of the Indian Air Force’s shipment of Russian arms could be a sign of that strain, said Pant of the Observer Research Foundation.
“I think the relationship (between India and Russia) has been under stress for a long time,” he said. “It is now becoming clear that the current trajectory of this relationship is becoming increasingly unsustainable (due to) what is happening in Ukraine.”
Additional coverage from Portal.