Military Geography and Defense Cooperation: Impact of the Russia–Ukraine War on India's Defense Procurement, Technology Transfers, and Strategic Dependencies

The Russia-Ukraine War, commencing in February 2022, has significantly altered global military geography, influencing defense cooperation dynamics for nations like India. This paper examines the war's impact on India's defense procurement, technology transfers, and strategic dependencies, framed through the lens of military geography—encompassing terrain, supply chains, and geopolitical positioning in Eurasia and the Indo-Pacific. Historically reliant on Russia for over 60% of its military hardware, India faces disruptions from sanctions and conflict logistics, prompting diversification toward Western partners while preserving autonomy. Key findings reveal accelerated indigenization efforts, enhanced technology collaborations, and reduced dependencies, though challenges like spare parts shortages and geopolitical tensions persist. By analyzing procurement shifts, transfer mechanisms, and dependency risks, the study argues that the war has catalyzed India's evolution toward a resilient, multi-aligned defense strategy, balancing Eurasian vulnerabilities with Indo-Pacific imperatives. This contributes to understanding how military geography shapes defense policies in multipolar conflicts. (Word count: 172)