Enamored with proclaimed “strategic autonomy”, the Russia-Ukraine war has exposed the dual character of Indian foreign policy. It shows that New Delhi is interested in only securing its interests even if the allies have to pay the price. India plays with both parties and aims to receive maximum benefits from them, which are in conflict with each other. This approach is evident from the Russia-Ukraine war, where New Delhi is buying oil from sanction- ridden Moscow yet covertly supplying ammunition to Kyiv. However, it is not the only instance where India has played a double role; the country has adopted a similar posture in its relations with rival states.

Regardless of the neutrality claims, New Delhi has been supplying a diverse range of artillery and mortar shells as well as explosives to Kyiv. The list comprises 155mm, 122mm, 125 mm projectiles and others. So far, India has delivered 10,000 shells of 120mm and 125mm caliber rounds based on information from Indian and European officials and commercially available customs data. In this regard, three Indian defense manufacturers Yantra, Munitions India, and Kalyani Strategic Systems delivered the ammunition to Ukraine.

Moreover, India is also indirectly supporting Ukraine’s war effort. A recent disclosure showed India’s state-owned munitions firm providing  about 500 tons of explosives to Rheinmetall, a German defense manufacturer. Rheinmetall filled the explosives into different ammunition and then sold the finished products to the Ukrainian military.

Astonishingly, the company has been prohibited from doing business with any Indian firms due to corruption charges since 2012. The agreement was reached through a Spanish company called Expal, which Rheinmetall had already bought. The maiden cargo shipment of 144 tons was delivered in October 2023. Two more deliveries were sent, and the penultimate one reached Germany in March 2024.

Meanwhile, third parties have supported India in supplying defense items to Ukraine. These include key US allies in Europe – Italy, Czech Republic, Spain, and Slovenia –  which initially imported the Indian ammunition and explosives and then diverted them to Kyiv. India did not stop the transaction at any point because this provided an opportunity to New Delhi to prove its allegiance to the US. Moreover, New Delhi signals Washington that Moscow is no longer its strategic ally and India prefers the Western camp.

One the other hand, Indian government is playing a similar role when it comes to the Israel-Palestine conflict as well. It not only supports Palestine’s statehood claim while at the same time retaining cordial relations with Israel. In addition, Indian firms are covertly providing ammunition to Israel to augment its war efforts. This fact was unveiled when the Israeli air force dropped bombs on ‘a refugee camp’ in Gaza, which turned out to be made in India. This established the duplicity in India’s foreign policy behavior.

Similarly, India maintains warm relations with Iran, regardless of the US sanctions targeting the country. In contrast, New Delhi signed strategic agreements with Washington, which does not even share diplomatic ties with Tehran. Likewise, India is leveraging benefits from both Iran and Israel, which have been in an undeclared state of war against each other since October 2023.

Amid this, the critical question is whether India’s support of Ukraine’s war effort will impact its long-standing relationship with Russia. The Kremlin has already expressed serious reservations. Russia highlighted the subject during both countries’ foreign ministers meeting, which was held earlier this year in Kazakhstan, according to a Russian official source.

Although India is trying to counter the situation by denouncing the facts, the situation is much more severe than stakeholders in New Delhi anticipated. India’s act has eroded the trust between the Kremlin and Rashtrapati Bhawan. Although the Indian Act has put a dent in their bilateral relationship, in the near future, both sides will cooperate because Russia is still the largest arms exporter to India. Similarly, India is the largest buyer of Russian oil. This convergence of interests will hold them together for a while unless the West ends its sanctions on Russia or finds other alternatives.

India’s supply of ammunition to Ukraine surprised many in the realm of international relations. However, it was nothing new but a repetition of what New Delhi has been doing since independence. This behavior is part of India’s foreign policy, based on its philosophy of running with the hare and hunting with the hounds. Given this trajectory, Indian allies may exercise caution in their future dealings with India as the country’s foreign policy deviates from its stated pledges. Moreover, India’s partners may be concerned because of New Delhi’s willingness to grab opportunities at the expense of its close allies and friends. This raises serious questions about India’s status as a reliable partner, which will likely impact its future relations.