India has initiated the process of assembling as well as operationalization of the first unit of S-400 Triumf advanced surface-to-air missile defence system. It will be deployed in the forward areas by April this year and all the five units will be stationed to counter threats from China, according to a report by the Hindustan Times. The rest 4 will be deployed by 2023.
India and Russia signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for the purchase of S400s on the sidelines of 2016 BRICS summit. The deal for 5 S-400 systems was formally signed in October 2018 and is worth around ₹ 40000 crore. S-400, said to be the most advanced surface-to-air missile system, can take down multiple hostile air-borne objects, such as missiles or even an aircraft, within a 40-400 km range.
Even though the Indian government has not divulged any details about the project, it has been learned that all the five units/squadrons will ben deployed to counter threats from China. This news comes in the back of Senate Foreign Committee hearing of James O’ Brien, President Biden’s nominee for State Department’s coordinator for sanctions policy, who said that Washington’s decision to grant a waiver or sanction India under CAASTA for the purchase of S-400 systems will depend upon its geopolitical and geostrategic calculations vis-à-vis China. US’s Countering American Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAASTA) which has provision to forbid any defence deal with Russia, Iran, or North Korea. America has already sanctioned Turkey in 2020 for purchasing the same S-400 systems from Russia.
Also read| 'No forcible vaccination': Centre to SC on Covid vax for disabled persons
James O’Brien further commented that it is difficult to take similar actions against India as they did against Turkey keeping in mind that the latter is a NATO ally which defied NATO principles and legacy deal. He further noted that the U.S.-India defence partnership is on a rise and that its historic relationship with Russia (erstwhile USSR) cannot be ignored.
India has however clarified to the U.S. that the acquisition was in India’s interest as it faced increasing military threats from China across the Line of Actual Control (LAC), especially since the Ladakh standoff since 2020, the HT report further says. India has nevertheless assured the U.S. that the missile systems will not share sensitive technical details about US-made helicopters and aircraft systems to Russia.
India has already received two units of S-400 from Russia and is currently undertaking assembling the systems done by specially trained Indian teams. That the systems will be deployed against Chinese military threats might weigh on the US decision to sanction India or not, as per analysts quoted by HT.
Also read| 'IT industry proposal to setup hubs in Tier 2/3 cities welcome step'
China also owns S-400 systems and has already deployed them in Ngari Gar Gunsa (opposite Demchok) and Nyingchi (across Arunachal Pradesh) across the LAC. It has deployed other 3 S-400s to counter threats in the South China Sea. During President Putin’s visit to India last year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had said that the U.S tried to undermine the deal and lauded India for upholding its political and military sovereignty.
India imported 58 percent of key defence components and weapons from Russia between 2014 and 2018 thereby making it a crucial partner to augment its defence security, according to a report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI),
