NEW DELHI- India has made it clear to the United States that its defencerelations with Russia are decades old and they will continue as usual withthe two countries on the verge of signing the multi-crore deal for theS-400 defence missile shield. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Fridaysaid that the US Congress delegation which was in India recently has beengiven the message that Indo-Russian ties will remain strong.
The US had in 2017 passed the Countering America’s Adversaries ThroughSanctions Act (CAATSA), primarily aimed at Russia, Iran and North Koreawith India likely to face sanction if it buys the S-400 Triumf air defencemissile system. This Act can be used against countries which maintaindefence trade relations with Russia, Iran and North Korea.
Sitharaman said that this is law of the United States, not United Nation’s.”The matter is not the selection between the US or Russia. With Russia wehave decades-old defence links and it will continue,” she said.
But she also added that the Indo-US relations are on track with talksbetween defence and foreign ministers of India and US, cancelled in June2018 likely to be conducted in September 2018. Earlier, these talks were totake place in the US on July 6 but Washington cancelled it saying thatofficials were not available for talks during that period.
India has long relied on Russia for defence needs. India is currentlynegotiating the S-400 missile defence system from Russia. The S-400 deal isexpected to be around Rs 35 to 40000 crore.The system is capable of fullyprotecting India from any missile or aircraft attack.
India is also in talks with Russia to acquire another nuclear submarine onlease. Indian Navy already has nuclear submarine INS Chakra leased fromRussia in April 2012 for 10 years. Russia has also helped India to make itsfirst nuclear submarine INS Arihant.