According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, also known as SIPRI, Russia remains India’s top arms supplier followed by the United States. However, India’s Ambassador to the U.S., Harsh Shringla, says that this is about to change for India, the world’s second-largest arms importer and fifth-largest economy,
Shringla explains, “If you go by SIPRI figures, in the block year 2008 to 2013 we imported 76% of our defense items from Russia. In the next five-year block, from 2013 to 2018, this came down 58%, and in the same period our imports from the United States increased by 569%. So that itself tells you that, when we have a choice … we are obviously diversifying our purchases.” Ten years ago, the country didn’t have as many options, he added.
Countries that heavily pursue arms deals with the Kremlin are subject to U.S. sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, or CAATSA. India is currently at risk of U.S. sanctions after agreeing to a $5 billion deal to buy Russia’s S-400 missile system last year.
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
