India-Pakistan clash: ‘far from neutral' Russia and China step in with arms
Recent arms shipments from
Russia to
India and
China to
Pakistan in the days leading to renewed cross-border hostilities between the two
South Asian rivals have prompted scrutiny of whether Moscow and Beijing are neutral actors in the conflict.
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India has received a consignment of Igla-S air defence missiles from Russia, according to reports by Indian media outlets, following the April 22 militant attack near Pahalgam in India-administered Jammu and
Kashmir that killed 26 non-Muslim tourists.
Capable of intercepting low-flying aircraft and drones, the missiles were reportedly deployed to forward border areas and believed to have been procured under Delhi's emergency powers.
The US$3 million Igla-S man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS) supplied by Russia are expected to strengthen India's tactical air defence capabilities, particularly along the disputed border in Jammu and Kashmir.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has offered to help resolve tensions between Pakistan and India over Kashmir, according to the Russian foreign ministry.
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The developments came amid ongoing sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
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