TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (AA): Even as the U.S. has reiterated its reservationsabout Turkey and India’s purchase of the S-400 missile system, Indian andPakistani military experts believe that it was the best available airdefense system in the world.
They maintained that American alternatives at present were no match to thistested Russian system.
Former Deputy Chief of Indian Air Force (IAF) Kapil Kak and ex-DirectorGeneral of Pakistan’s powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Gen.Ehsanul Haq told Anadolu Agency that the U.S. attempts to foist itsinterests on sovereign countries, would prove counterproductive. Both ofthem believed that the U.S. behavior was in a way an attack on thestrategic autonomy of these countries.
“My view is that Turkey and India will very jealously protect autonomy intheir strategic decision making. They will find it very difficult to alignwith the U.S. dictate on the S-400 issue. The U.S. administration shouldfind a diplomatic solution to the issue and retain its political andmilitary linkages with Turkey,” said the former ISI chief.
A U.S. government official on Monday warned against purchase of the Russianequipment while speaking to Indian journalists in Washington ahead of anexpected visit by U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo to New Delhi aspart of preparations to arrange a meeting between U.S. President DonaldTrump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G-20summit in Japan later this week.
“With respect to S-400, we are urging all our allies and partners, Indiaincluded, to forgo transactions with Russia that risk triggering CAATSA(Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act) … This is a timewe will be encouraging India to look at alternatives,” said the official,according to Indian media reports.
Retired Air Vice Marshall Kapil Kak, who has commanded fighter jets and isinvolved in strategic planning in India, said in terms of tracking andscanning of radars, height parameters and the area it can cover, the S-400system was the best in the world. He said the U.S. offer to supply AmericanPatriot missile defense system was not an alternative to match theirstrategic requirements.
“My back up on calculation is that S-400 is superior than any other system,be that the American Patriot. It also depends on Patriot derivate that ison offer. For S-400, we know exactly what it means. We are not sure, whenAmericans talk us about Patriots. It has been used in the Gulf war andupgraded subsequently. But as far as the configuration, we know, it is notsuperior to S-400. I do not think, it will either interest Turkey orIndia,” said Kak, who has also served as chief instructor at the DefenseServices Staff College at Wellington, the capital of New Zealand.
*‘India exempted from sanctions’*
He said given the geopolitical realities in the region, Turkish armedforces were in need to purchase the best defense system.
Former air force officials described the U.S. argument that the purchasewill compromise the configuration of its fifth-generation F-35 aircraft,does not hold the ground. He reminded that as NATO allies, Turkey and theU.S. are already committed to the Communications Compatibility and SecurityAgreement (COMCASA), which secures the U.S. military equipment. It alsofacilitates interoperability between militaries and sale of high-endtechnology. India also signed this agreement last September after theconclusion of a meeting between the foreign and defense ministers of bothcountries in New Delhi.
The former air force official, however, said there was a marked differencebetween Turkey and India. Even as the U.S. was pushing both to relinquishthe deal, Kak said at the end New Delhi may succeed to secure an Americanwaiver. “My own reading is that the U.S. approach towards Turkey will befar harder than towards India, because of various geopolitical and regionalfactors,” he said.
“We have been told at senior most levels that India will be exempted. Indiawill not have to pay the price in way of economic sanctions, if it goesahead with purchasing the Russian missile system. But there is no claritystill. My own reading is that India is closely watching America’s approachtowards Turkey. But I feel they [Americans] will be generous towardsIndia,” said Kak.
He also disclosed that like Turkey, the U.S. has been offering alternativesto India as well. “They [Americans] have been also offering us not only theF-21 aircraft, which is an upgrade of F-16, but have assured to set uptheir production line in India itself. So, India can become exporters ofthese jets,” he said.
The setting up of production line is an attractive proposition, given thefact that there are 4000 F-16s and F-21s in the world. But when decidingabout the French Rafale aircraft, the IAF had already rejected the AmericanF-16 deal. In April 2015, India purchased 36 French Rafale fighter jets,rejected American and other offers.
On whether the American approach will affect Pakistan as well, which isanother major non-NATO ally, Haq said the military relationship between thetwo countries has lost its momentum.
“Fortunately, or unfortunately, the status of non-NATO military ally hasnot given any benefit to Pakistan. The U.S. Pakistan military relationshiphas gradually lost its momentum. There are hardly any military transfers toPakistan, even military training arrangements have been at a standstill.Consequently, the U.S. ability to do anything about Pakistan’s defenseprocurement from Russia is minimal,” he said.