India denies sending artillery shells to Ukraine for use against Russia

Tribune News Service

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, January 4

India has denied reports circulating in Ukrainian and US media that suggest that Ukraine has, in all likelihood, received Indian 155mm artillery shells.

“We have seen some media reports. I can categorically say we have not sent any artillery shells, nor exported,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said when asked at the media briefing about videos showing supposed Indian shells being loaded into the Polish howitzer. Reports claimed that these shells were sold by India to Slovenia, which in turn supplied them to Ukraine.

In one report, “Ukrainian Front” claimed on X that the visual evidence suggests the artillery seems to be the HE ERFB BB model which is used by the Indian armed forces. “In light of the present state of affairs, indirect procurement through a third party could be a viable option. The US, in all probability, is the country that procured the 155mm ammunition and has since transported it to Ukraine. This reasoning is backed by an October announcement from the US, highlighting its intent to boost global 155mm artillery ammunition production,’’ said Bulgarianmilitary.com.

“Munitions India Limited (MIL), under India’s Ministry of Defence, manufactures this BB model. Another version, the BT, also manufactured by MIL, has a shorter range of between 24 and 30 km,” it reported, adding that in this initiative, an investment of $1.5 billion was proposed, with the benefit being extended to the US, Canada, India and Poland.

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