Lavrov also underscored that this defence cooperation is in the interest of both countries. …reports Asian Lite News
The United States undermined the India-Russia deal on S-400 defence system, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday, adding that the US tried to make India “obey its orders” but New Delhi told them it’s a decision of a sovereign country to bolster its defence system.
The Russian Foreign Minister also said that the S-400 deal has very important practical meaning for an Indian defence capability and the deal has been implemented.
Washington had indicated that the Russian S-400 systems may trigger CAATSA sanctions. The CAATSA is a United States federal law that imposed sanctions on Iran, North Korea, and Russia. Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act CAATSA authorises the US administration to impose sanctions on countries that purchase major defence hardware from Russia in response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its alleged meddling in the 2016 US presidential elections.
“S-400 deal doesn’t have only a symbolic meaning. It has a very important practical meaning for an Indian defence capability and the situation is basically underway. The deal has been implemented. We witnessed at times on part of the United States to undermine this cooperation and to make India obey US orders to follow American vision to how this region should develop, and our Indian friends clearly and firmly explained that they are a sovereign country and they will decide whose weapons to buy and who is going to be a partner of India in this and other areas,” Lavrov said.
Lavrov also underscored that this defence cooperation is in the interest of both countries.
“It is confirmed and it is mentioned today that Russia-India relations have been characterised and remained specially precipices strategic partnership, and certainly the meeting of the military, technical and defence cooperation which took place this morning and my bilateral meeting with India Foreign Minister Jaishankar is a manifestation that this cooperation is in the interest of both countries,” he said.
Sources in the Indian defence industry said the parts of the air defence system have started reaching India and they would be first deployed at a location close to the Western border from where it can tackle threats from both parts of the Western and Northern borders with Pakistan and China.
The S-400 air defence system was contracted for by India in a deal worth around Rs 35,000 crore and five squadrons would be provided to India for tackling air threats from up to 400 km.
Sources said the equipment is being brought to India through both sea and air routes. Sources said after the first squadron is deployed, the Air Force would start focusing on the Eastern borders along with providing resources for training of personnel within the country.
Alexander Mikheev, the director-general of Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport had said that the first regiment of Russia’s anti-aircraft missile system air defence (PRO) S-400 will be delivered to India by the end of 2021.
“All the property of the first regimental set of S-400s will be delivered to India at the end of 2021,” Mikheev was quoted as saying by Russian news agency Sputnik. He added that the deliveries started ahead of schedule.
The United States has not made a determination on a potential waiver of sanctions against India for its purchase of the S-400 missile defence system from Russia, a state department spokesperson had said, noting that the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) does not have a blanket or country-specific waiver provision.
The Joe Biden administration also urged “all of our allies, partners” to forgo transactions with Russia that risk triggering sanctions under the CAATSA, the spokesperson said in response to reports that Russia has started delivering the S-400 to India.
India had signed a USD 5.43-billion deal with Russia for the purchase of five S-400 surface to air missile systems during the 19th India-Russia Annual Bilateral Summit in New Delhi in October 2019, for long-term security needs.(ANI)
S-400 supply will continue
Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Monday said S-400 is a legacy contract and the supply of the defence system has begun this month and would continue.
During a special Ministry of External Affairs briefing today, the Foreign Secretary said: “There was a sense that S-400, which you all are aware, is a legacy contract, going back to 2018 and was in fact discussed before that. Supply has begun this month and will continue to happen.”
Addressing issues relating to other countries including the United States, Shringla noted that India and Russia conduct an independent foreign policy.
“With all issues relating to other countries, it is important to note that whether it is us (India) or Russia, we conduct an independent foreign policy and I don’t think we need to look at our relationship in the light of any other relationship,” the Foreign Secretary said.
Referring to Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), Shringla said that “I don’t think this issue came up at all” during the talks with the Russian delegation.
Shringla held a special briefing after the annual summit meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin. Both countries have signed 28 MoUs along with a programme of cooperation in the field of defence for the next 10 years from 2021 to 2031.