Air defence deal with India moving on its schedule, says Russian envoy
The six billion dollar deal for S-400 air defence systems between India and Russia is moving as per schedule despite the USA threat of sanctions.
This assertion from the Russian Ambassador to India on Monday came days after the USA imposed sanctions against Turkey for going ahead with a deal for S-400 missile system manufactured by Russia. China has already bought more than six such systems from Russia.
India and Russia inked a deal for five S-400 systems in 2018 worth over 5.6 billion dollars. These air defence systems will enable India to detect and destroy incoming missiles and aircraft after picking up their flight path more than 400 km away. The systems will start coming to India by 2021 and entire five systems will be inducted in a five-year schedule.
Brushing aside the USA caution to India over the past two years about the possibility of sanctions for procuring weapons from Russia, Ambassador Nikolay Kudashev said ongoing deals with India for military hardware are advancing well.
“There can be good progress if decisions related to the procurement of Ka-226 helicopters and production of AK-203 assault rifles are expedited, and Russia is prepared to share the most advanced technologies with India in line with the “Make in India” and “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” initiatives, Kudashev said.
Elaborating upon the progress of the defence deals with India, the Russian envoy said, “As far as current deals [are] concerned, we are advancing well, including with S-400 supplies. If relevant decisions to start works related to Ka-226 helicopters and AK-203 rifles production are expedited, soon we will see good progress, which is especially important due to deep interests expressed by the Indian armed forces.”
On the USA threat of sanctions against India, Kudashev said Russia like India, does not recognise sanctions other than those imposed by the UN Security Council.
Roman Babushkin, chargé d’affaires at the Russian Embassy, described the USA secondary sanctions on arms purchases from Russia as “illegal tools of unfair competition and pressure”.
Maintaining that India and Russia are disciplined members of the international arms control regimes, Kudashev also said their bilateral defense ties will not pose “any threat to the regional balance”.
“As far as sanctions are concerned, it’s hard to predict and let the Biden Administration first announce publicly its plans and foreign policy vision. We do not recognise or welcome unilateral sanctions as a tool…of interstate or international relations, sanctions other than those applied by the UN Security Council, this is also the case of Turkey,” he said.
“As far as India is concerned, we share the same platform. India’s position is crystal clear – no sanctions are acknowledged other than those applied by the UN Security Council. Whatever the future is, we believe that our ties will stand the coming challenges,” he added.
On the time-tested defence ties between India and Russia for the past six decades, the Ambassador said the unparalleled defense cooperation is based on the real exchange of technologies and joint ventures to help India advance local production and expand its military export potential.
About two decades back India shifted its position from buyer of weapons to joint production in the country.
The envoy said the two sides are working on co-development and co-production of equipment, components, and spare parts, improving the after sales service system and deepening localisation programmes.
Russia is also looking forward to participating in Aero-India 2021, where it will showcase the Su-57, Su-35, and MiG-35 combat jets, Ka-52, Ka-226, Mi-17B-5 and Mi-26 helicopters, and the S-400 missile system
Tuesday, 22 December 2020 | PNS | New Delhi
