India’s Defence Ministry has firmly denied recent media reports, including a Reuters story, suggesting that India has paused defence procurement talks with the United States amid ongoing trade tensions and heightened tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.
The Ministry labelled such reports as “false and fabricated” and clarified that all procurement processes are ongoing as per established norms and extant procedures. Defence supplies from the U.S. continue under existing contracts, and discussions on follow-up orders are also ongoing.
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Contrary to claims that major deals, including the acquisition of U.S. military equipment and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s planned visit to Washington, had been put on hold or cancelled, officials stated there was no formal decision to suspend any defence engagement. Media speculation about a cancelled visit and paused deals was dismissed as misleading.
Government sources emphasised that India remains engaged in its strategic defence cooperation with Washington, and ongoing contracts—including purchases of U.S.-origin equipment such as Apache helicopters, Boeing maritime aircraft, and General Dynamics Stryker vehicles—are unaffected by recent developments.
The Ministry also denied claims about the cancellation of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s planned visit to Washington for announcements on defence purchases, stating there was no formal confirmation of such a visit.
The tariff hike, which doubled the duties on Indian exports to 50% following India’s continued oil trade with Russia, has caused tensions between the two countries, but has not resulted in a formal pause or cancellation of defence deals.
While reports surfaced that defence purchases might be delayed pending clarity on tariffs and bilateral relations, no official instruction to pause purchases was issued, and India retains the option to quickly reverse any delay on arms talks.
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India’s strategic security relationship with the U.S. remains strong, fuelled partly by their shared strategic rivalry with China. India, the world’s second-largest arms importer, has traditionally relied on Russia as its top supplier; however, its imports from Russia have declined in recent years amid constraints on Russia’s export capacities due to the Ukraine conflict and shifting preferences toward Western suppliers including the U.S., France, and Israel.
Despite historic ties with Russia, Indian officials have stated that India currently does not see a need for new arms purchases from Moscow but continues to engage with multiple defence partners.
Thus, while the tariff imposition has introduced strains in the broader U.S.-India ties, it has not disrupted the defence procurement processes with the U.S., and ongoing talks and cooperation continue without official interruption. The government maintains a nuanced position balancing relations with both the U.S. and Russia in defence procurement and strategic partnerships.
Based On ET News Report
Agency
