The United States warns India that it would not get a waiver on its plannedacquisition of S-400 air defense systems from Russia, implying that NewDelhi will face sanctions similar to those imposed on Turkey for buying theadvanced equipment.
In an exclusive interview with Reuters on Friday, some political officialssaid the US’ warning would significantly raise the risk of sanctions onIndia if it pressed ahead with a plan to purchase Russian missiles.
The warning comes as the outgoing administration of US President DonaldTrump has been attempting to push India to scrap the mega $5.5 billion dealfor five air defense systems with Russia and avoid a diplomatic crisisbetween the two countries.
Washington has said New Delhi does not have a wide waiver from a 2017 USlaw, known as the Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act(CAATSA) legislation, which aims to deter countries from purchasing Russianmilitary hardware.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a US embassy spokesperson in the Indiancapital said the Trump administration was aware of reports of India’splanned purchase of the S-400s, but noted there had been no deliveries yet.
“We urge all of our allies and partners to forgo transactions with Russiathat risk triggering sanctions under the CAATSA. CAATSA does not have anyblanket or country-specific waiver provision,” the spokesperson toldReuters.
“We have not made any waiver determinations with respect to Indiantransactions with Russia.”
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Informed sources also told Reuters that Washington has said India’sdecision to buy the Russian missiles would jeopardize future armstransactions with the US, such as high-end fighter planes and armed drones.
Moreover, Richard Rossow, a specialist at the Center for Strategic andInternational Studies in Washington, told the news agency that, “There is anarrow chance India can avoid sanctions, presuming the S-400 purchase iscompleted. At the moment, it’s a good bet that sanctions will be appliedagainst India.”
Rossow also said the outcome could depend on how India-US defensecooperation progresses, adding that India had been working with Washingtonon security in Asia more than ever before and this could be a mitigatingfactor.
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India shrugs off US warning
Reacting to the report by Reuters, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman AnuragSrivastava said, “India and the US have a comprehensive global strategicpartnership. India has a special and privileged strategic partnership withRussia.”
In clear defiance of the US warning, Srivastava added, “India has alwayspursued an independent foreign policy. This also applies to our defenseacquisitions and supplies which are guided by our national securityinterests.”
India has previously said that it needs the S-400 long-range surface-to-airmissiles to counter alleged threats from China. The two neighbors have beenlocked in a face-off on their disputed Himalayan border since April, themost serious in decades.
The S-400 is an advanced Russian missile defense system designed to detect,track, and destroy planes, drones, or missiles as far as 402kilometres away.
The United States imposed sanctions on Turkey last month for itsacquisition of the Russian air defense systems under CAATSA.link.link
A number of NATO member states, spearheaded by the US, have criticizedTurkey for its purchase of the S-400, arguing that the missile batteriesare not compatible with those of the military alliance.
Washington says the Russian missile systems pose a threat to its F-35fighter jets and to NATO’s broader defense systems.
Ankara has rejected the accusations and says the S-400s will not beintegrated into the US-led military alliance.
