_*Amnesty International Warns India Risks Complicity in Gaza Genocide Through Continued Arms Exports to Israel*_
Amnesty International has warned that India’s continued exports of weapons, ammunition, and military components to Israel could expose the country to the risk of complicity in the ongoing genocide against Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip
In its new report, "Made in India: The Supply of Weapons and Ammunition to Israel," Amnesty International documents how the Indian government has developed a close and profitable partnership with Israel’s defence industry, making India a significant contributor to the supply chains supporting Israel’s military operations. The report identifies both private companies and state-owned enterprises involved in exporting military equipment to Israeli defence companies that directly supply the Israeli armed forces.
Amnesty International Secretary General Agnès Callamard said the findings reveal India's continued support for Israel’s military and defence sector despite the widely documented genocide in Gaza. She stressed that, following the International Court of Justice’s provisional measures recognizing a plausible risk of genocide, the Indian authorities cannot credibly claim they were unaware that authorizing and facilitating arms transfers to Israel carried a substantial risk of contributing to serious violations of international law
Callamard added that while Israeli forces inflicted widespread death, destruction, and suffering on Palestinians in Gaza, Indian companies continued to profit by supplying military components and ammunition to Israel’s defence sector. She called on the Indian government to immediately halt all authorizations for the export of weapons, ammunition, and military components to Israel and to ensure that companies operating under its jurisdiction do not contribute to international crimes
More Than 2,500 Military Shipments
The investigation analyzed shipment-level trade data covering the period from 7 October 2023 onward and identified 2,596 shipments of weapons, ammunition, and military components exported from India to Israel
:According to the report, Indian companies supplied at least
390,516 parts for military-grade small arms
564,970 explosive ordnance components, including drone warheads and artillery shell casings; and
298 military vehicle components delivered to major Israeli companies supplying the Israeli armed forces
To ensure the accuracy of its findings, Amnesty International excluded shipments intended for civilian use, as well as items likely associated with anti-missile defence systems, limiting its analysis to equipment with direct military applications
Legal and Regulatory Failures
The report also examines India's legal framework governing arms transfers and concludes that it contains significant structural shortcomings. These include the absence of mandatory human rights due diligence requirements before granting export licences and a lack of transparency in the licensing process, resulting in limited public accountability
Amnesty International further notes that India abstained from the vote adopting the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in 2013 and has neither signed nor acceded to the treaty. The organization urges India to join the ATT as an essential step toward aligning its export controls with international legal standards governing arms transfers
The report reiterates that, under international humanitarian law, states are prohibited from transferring weapons to parties involved in armed conflicts where there is a clear risk that such weapons could facilitate serious violations of international law. It also warns that companies involved in these transfers may incur legal responsibility if they knowingly contribute to international crimes
Companies and Military Equipment Identified
The investigation documents exports of a wide range of military equipment, including machine gun components used by Israeli forces in Gaza, 155mm high-explosive artillery shells supplied to Elbit Systems, explosive warheads for loitering munitions, and components for armoured military vehicles delivered to key Israeli defence contractors
:Among the Indian companies identified are
PLR Systems Private Limited;
Indo MIM Private Limited;
Kalyani Systems Private Limited;
Munitions India Limited (state-owned); and
Alpha Elsec Defence & Aerospace Systems Private Limited
The report also identifies Israeli recipients, including Elbit Systems, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd, and Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd, companies that Amnesty International has previously called on governments and private entities to cease doing business with because of their contribution to serious violations of international law and human rights
Call for an Immediate Arms Embargo
Amnesty International calls on the Government of India to immediately halt all transfers of weapons, ammunition, and military components to Israel. The organization argues that continued exports may place India in breach of its obligations under the Genocide Convention and the Geneva Conventions
The report also emphasizes that companies have a responsibility to ensure their products are not used to commit serious violations of international law. Where businesses determine that their products may have contributed to abuses against Palestinians in Gaza, they should provide or cooperate in effective remedies for those harmed