India & Russia had signed and sealed the USD 5 billion S-400 deal yesterday. This comes at a time when the US has asked nations not to sign deals with Russia.
According to the US, deals with Russia will trigger sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
However, the US embassy spokesperson here while responding to a query said that the CAATSA was aimed at Moscow and not intended to damage the military capabilities of its “allies and partners.”
According to sources, the delivery of the S-400 missiles will take place in the next 24 months Air Force chief BS Dhanoa has told the media.
China, India’s rival was the first nation to buy the S-400 missiles which prompted India to get their own set of the long-range air defence systems.
India hopes that US President Donald Trump’s administration will give it a waiver on the weapons systems which New Delhi sees as a deterrent against China whose growing military muscle has spooked Washington too.
In its first reaction to the deal from the embassy in Delhi, the US said that the sanctions on Russia were intended to impose costs for its “malign behaviour” and not “impose damage to the military capabilities of our allies or partners”. Saying that it cannot prejudge any sanctions decisions, the US said waivers, if any, will be considered on a transaction-by-transaction basis.
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