Ukraine can restore aircraft manufacturing thanks to India and create a new long-range missile – expert
Ukraine could revive its aircraft industry by launching joint production of aircraft with India, and use the proceeds to create a long-range air-to-air missile. This was stated by Valentyn Badrak, director of the Center for Army, Conversion and Disarmament Research, in a large article for LIGA.net.
According to the expert, during the full-scale war, the export of weapons and some equipment did not stop: "This is logical and correct, since military-technical cooperation has always been part of the state's policy."
For example, we are talking about the supply of Ukrainian-made spare parts for Indian An-32 military transport aircraft, which would in no way strengthen the defense capabilities of the Ukrainian army, Badrak noted.
In his opinion, India, which is "gradually and cautiously" turning away from Russia towards the United States and Europe, is a strategic area for Ukraine's military-technical cooperation.
The analyst noted that New Delhi is already counting on joint production of aircraft engines with Kyiv, and in the future could purchase the latest An-178 military transport aircraft.
Badrak believes that the production of these aircraft could be expanded in India itself, and in this way "actually restore the lost aircraft industry" of Ukraine: "After all, since April 2015, after the subordination of the state enterprise "Antonov" to the state concern "Ukroboronprom", not a single aircraft has been produced."
Moreover, with the funds received from the Indian order, Ukraine could create a long-range air-to-air missile, the expert emphasized.
"On May 7, 2025, India horribly lost an air battle to Pakistan precisely because of its long-range PL-15 missiles. And New Delhi knows very well that Ukraine has such technologies," the analyst recalled.
He added that the creation of such a missile is not fiction: part of this project was shown in real products during the Kyiv exhibition "Weapons and Security – 2021", and besides, such weapons are extremely necessary for the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to destroy Russian aircraft at a range of 100-200 kilometers.
"It is also worth mentioning the negotiations with Indian companies on the joint production of gas turbines for Indian warships and the fact that during his visit to Kyiv in August 2024, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi insisted on opening joint defense enterprises in India," Badrak concluded.
- On May 28, Bloomberg, citing analysts, reported that tankers under US sanctions are involved in supplying Russian oil to India, which calls into question the country's position on such supplies.