ISLAMABAD – Islamabad has raised concerns over India’s decision to purchaseRussian S-400 missile defencelinksystems,claiming it would start “an unnecessary arms race” in the region.
“We feel that such destabilising systems can undermine deterrence andstability in South Asia and lead to an unnecessary arms race. Pakistan hasproposed discussions on a Strategic Restraint Regime for South Asia”,foreign ministry spokeswoman Aisha Farooqui told reporters on Thursday.
The statement comes just a day after Pakistan successfully test-firedGhaznavi surface-to-surface ballistic missiles and India’s recent test-fireof its intermediate-range nuclear-capable K-4 ballistic missiles.
Under a contract signed in 2018, Russia should deliver five S-400 systemsworth over $5 billion to India by 2025. According to New Delhi, the systemswill be deployed to the country in 2020.linkThisdeal, however, is facing pushback from the US. Washington, for its part,has suggested that India should purchase American weapons systems instead.
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The US has also repeatedly threatened to impose sanctions on any countrythat buys weapons from the Russian defence sector under CAATSA (theCountering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act).
