Russia reportedly deploys Indian T-90S Bhishma to Ukraine, without New Delhi deal

A photo published surreptitiously before being removed from Telegram messaging could well create a major incident between India and Russia. Until now, New Delhi had, like China, maintained a relatively neutral posture regarding the intervention of Russian forces in Ukraine. For the Indian authorities, it was, until recently, a purely European problem, which did not deserve to fall out with Moscow, moreover one of its main allies and suppliers of defense systems. The Indian positions had already evolved significantly after the announcement of the annexation by Moscow of the oblasts of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zoporizhiia and Kherson, even if during the vote of condemnation at the Security Council of the United Nations, India like China, Brazil and Gabon, abstained. But things could very quickly change in the days to come. Indeed, a photo posted on social media shows a T-90 tank marked with the now infamous identification marks of Russian forces in Ukraine. Problem, this tank is none other than a T-90S Bhishma, the Indian version of the armored.

According to the Indian authorities, a certain number of these tanks are indeed in Russia in order to be modernized there. But seeing this tank appear in Ukraine with Russian markings causes amazement in New Delhi, even if for the time being, the reactions are essentially covered by the secrecy of international relations. Obviously, Moscow and Uralvagonzavod, the industrialist in charge of modernization, neither asked nor even informed New Delhi of this requisition. In addition, the appearance of these tanks in Ukraine makes New Delhi fear the anger of Westerners, and sanctions where all Indian positioning has so far aimed to avoid getting involved, despite pressure from the Western camp. , especially the United States. Indeed, let us recall that Washington this week authorized the partial modernization of the Pakistani F-16s, a $450 million contract, and that Joe Biden met his Pakistani counterpart, Shehbaz Sharif, on September 22, within the framework of the United Nations, a decision interpreted in India as a means of pressure on New Delhi over Russia. .

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