Full Breakdown
India’s Arms Exports to Israel Under Scrutiny for Potential Complicity in Gaza Conflict
8/1/2026, 3:46:35 AM
Core Event – Amnesty Report Highlights 2,596 Shipments Since Oct 7 2023
Amnesty International’s investigation, *Made in India: The Supply of Weapons and Ammunition to Israel*, documents 2,596 shipments of weapons, ammunition, parts and components sent from India to Israel between Oct 7 2023 and Nov 30 2025. The shipments include 390,516 small-arms parts, 564,970 explosive-ordnance components and 298 military-vehicle components supplied to Israeli firms that equip the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Background & Context
India and Israel have deepened defence cooperation since diplomatic ties were established in 1992. Between 2020 and 2025 India accounted for 29 percent of Israel’s total defence imports, while Israel ranked third among India’s arms-import sources. A memorandum of understanding signed on Nov 4 2025 formalised further joint research and production.
In 2024 the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued provisional measures ordering Israel to prevent genocide in Gaza, and a UN commission classified Israel’s actions there as genocide. International humanitarian law obliges states to refrain from transferring weapons when there is a substantial risk they will be used to commit such violations.
Data & Statistics
- Shipments: 2,596 (Amnesty)
- Small-arms parts: 390,516 (Amnesty)
- Explosive-ordnance components: 564,970 (Amnesty)
- Vehicle components: 298 (Amnesty)
- Israeli recipients: Elbit Systems, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries (Amnesty)
- Indian state-owned firms: Munitions India, India Optel, Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Ltd
Amnesty’s methodology excluded dual-use items and civilian missile-defence systems, making the figures a conservative baseline.
Official Statements & Responses
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs, represented by External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, defended the exports as aligned with “national interest” and longstanding security ties with Israel. Jaishankar argues that India’s arms trade follows established export-control regulations and serves strategic defence needs.
India’s Supreme Court, in a Sept 2024 decision, dismissed petitions seeking an embargo, ruling that foreign-policy matters fall within the executive’s exclusive domain.
Why It Matters – Legal and Humanitarian Implications
If Indian-origin components are used in attacks characterised as genocidal, India could face allegations of violating the Genocide Convention and the Geneva Conventions. Knowingly facilitating such transfers may give rise to civil liability and, in some jurisdictions, criminal responsibility for corporate personnel. The report highlights gaps in India’s export-control regime, notably the absence of a mandatory human-rights due-diligence requirement.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Most sources agree on the 2,596 shipment figure, though some describe the count as “more than 2,500.” Amnesty’s conservative approach excludes dual-use items, suggesting the actual volume could be higher. No public response from the Indian government to the specific shipment data had been recorded as of the report’s release.
