India to convince US over its defence ties with Russia

New Delhi: India is worried that any US sanctions on Russian military exports will “affect” Indian interests. 

New Delhi will therefore try to convince Washington that India is acquiring defence supplies from several countries including the US, that India will not act against fundamental US interests, but that acquisition of certain military platforms from Russia is essential for the country. India is interested in acquiring the lethal S-400 missile systems from Russia. 

India is expected to tell the United States that any restrictions on India buying the weapon systems it needs from Russia will “affect” the capacity of India to cooperate with the US. Delhi’s interests converge with that of Washington in crucial areas such as Afghanistan  and Indo-Pacific region. New Delhi is expected to assure Washington that it will not act against fundamental American interests.

Sources said it is “a no-brainer that some of it (the sanctions) would affect” Indian interests. India will ask the US to look at the trend of Indian defence purchases in the past 10 years which will prove that India has diversified the acquisition of arms and has bought them from countries that include the United States. Washington will also be told that some of the weapon systems that India wants to acquire from Russia are crucial in ensuring Indian defence preparedness and that India is “dependent” on certain defence “platforms” from Russia to ensure this preparedness.

India appears increasingly stuck in the middle in the nasty battle of nerves between the US and Russia. US-Russia ties have sunk to a new low following their divergent interests in Crimea and Syria. Allegations of Russian interference in the US elections of 2016 have impacted US-Russia ties and the recent nerve agent attack on a former Russian intelligence operative in the UK further worsened ties.