India Exports $850 Million of Ammunition to Europe Since Ukraine War Began
In June 2023, India delivered 50,000 155mm artillery shells to Germany, marking the largest single shipment to a European country. The move signals a shift in India’s defence export strategy and underscores Europe’s growing reliance on non‑NATO suppliers amid the war. It also highlights the country’s expanding role in the global arms market. These exports reflect a complex interplay of geopolitics, economics, and defence policy.
What India Exported to Europe
According to a release from the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on 12 August 2024, the country has exported over $850 million worth of ammunition to European states since the war began in February 2022. The bulk of these shipments consists of 155mm artillery shells and 120 mm tank rounds, as well as 7.62 mm small‑arms ammunition and 2.75 mm anti‑tank guided missiles. In June 2023, India shipped 50,000 155mm shells to Germany, the largest single export to a European nation. India also supplied France and Italy with 120 mm tank rounds in 2024, while Spain and Poland received 7.62 mm small‑arms ammo in 2023. The Defence Export Agency (DEA) reported that India’s exports fill a gap left by Western sanctions on Russian
Despite being a non‑NATO country, India’s ammunition factories have re‑engineered Soviet‑era production lines to meet NATO standards without building entirely new plants.
