Weekly Drop: Rounds, Missiles and Bears

Developments in the conventional sphere for the EU, and Russia's cyber warfare going from strength to strength...

It's a slightly calmer week – and no that is not an invitation – but some interesting snippets are ticking over away from the headlines. Agreements between Germany and India indicate a burgeoning relationship, even as parts of Europe move away from the United States's defence market. And Russia continues to prove a robustness and flexibility for cyber warfare that democracies should find alarming.

An Unofficial Partnership

Reliance Defence – an Indian Defence company – has inked a MoU¹ with Germany’s Rheinmetall. The German manufacturers will support Reliance in establishing a manufacturing facility in India’s southwest, along with further marketing and expansion support. Reliance’s new facility will enable them to supply Rheinmetall with key resources for medium- and large-calibre ammunition; explosives and propellants.

The benefits for India are clear – an established investor and buyer in a European defence market looking for paths forward, and increased self-sufficiency for Indian def…