Reuters reported the information.Representatives from major Indian defense manufacturers, including subsidiaries of the Adani Group and Bharat Forge, participated in meetings during late October that focused on establishing collaborative ventures for military equipment production. The talks centered on manufacturing spare parts for Russian aircraft like the MiG-29 fighter jet and various air defense systems, with proposals also on the table for setting up production facilities in India that could eventually supply equipment back to Russia.The Moscow meetings occurred alongside an official visit by India's Defense Production Secretary Sanjeev Kumar, designed to prepare for Russian leader Vladimir Putin's upcoming trip to India in early December. During that visit, both nations announced plans to shift their defense relationship toward joint research, development, and co-production of advanced military technology.India has relied on Russia as its primary arms supplier for decades, with Russian-made equipment comprising approximately 36% of the Indian military's arsenal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is now pushing to transform the country from one of the world's largest arms importers into a global manufacturing hub, but maintaining close defense ties with Moscow complicates efforts to develop partnerships with Western nations.Western diplomats have consistently cited India's Russian defense connections as a major barrier to sharing sensitive military technology. The concern stems from the extensive use of Russian-origin weapons systems throughout India's armed forces.The Indian delegation included representatives from state-owned defense firms, private conglomerates, and startups working on military drones and artificial intelligence applications. Discussions explored potential collaboration on components for Russian-origin tanks and aircraft, as well as future helicopter projects.However, Indian companies face significant challenges in pursuing these partnerships. The risk of secondary sanctions looms large, particularly after reports emerged that artillery shells exported by Indian firms to Europe were later diverted to Ukraine, prompting diplomatic complaints from Moscow. While India's government can provide some diplomatic protection, defense industry sources acknowledge that individual companies must carefully assess the political risks of deepening ties with Russia amid ongoing international tensions.Moscow's attempt to court New Delhi comes as the Kremlin remains years behind schedule on major weapons deliveries, raising questions about reliability amid growing Western sanctions.