WASHINGTON: The US has stated “concern” on the delivery of the Rudal-to-400 air-to-air defense system from Russia to India but remained hesitant about how to deal with transactions, said a senior Pentagon official.
The S-400 is known as the most sophisticated long-term missile-to-air-air defense system.
Although there were no official comments by the Indian Air Force in delivery, Russian Director of Federal Services for Military Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) Dmitry Shugaev told the Sputnik news agency last week that missile shipments planned.
“We are very clear with our Indian partners about our concerns over this system,” said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told the press on Monday in answering questions about the extent to which the Ministry of Defense relating to India received S -400s.
Learned that the delivery of several components of the missile system has begun and all important parts have not reached India.
Kirby, however, indicates that the US has not decided on how to handle transactions between India and Russia.
“We certainly have concerns over the system, but I don’t have an update for you,” he said.
US State Deputy Secretary Wendy Sherman during a visit to India last month said any country decided to use the S-400 missile was “dangerous” and not in anyone’s security interests.
At the same time, he hopes that the US and India will be able to resolve differences in procurement.
Checked that this problem was being discussed between India and the US.
In October 2018, India has signed a $ 5 billion contract with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defense missile system, although there was a warning from that time Trump Administration which continued the contract could invite sanctions to us.
The Biden government has not clarified whether to impose sanctions on India under the provisions of the American enemy against America Act (Caatsa) to get the S-400 Missile Systems.
Caatsa, which was brought in 2017, gave a punishment of any country to move in transactions with the defense and Russian intelligence sectors.
The US has imposed sanctions on Turkey under Caatsa for the purchase of the S-400 missile defense system from Russia.
Following US sanctions in Turkey on the procurement of the S-400 missile system, there were fears that Washington could wear similar sentence steps in India.
Russia has become one of the main suppliers of Indian weapons and ammunition.
India and Russia have also achieved the final phase of negotiations for logistics support agreements and is likely to be signed soon, studied.
In October, two strong US senators – Mark Warner from the Democratic Party and John Cornemy of the Republican Party – have urged the President of Biden to not impose the provisions of Caatsa to India to buy the S-400 missile system as the interests of American national security.
“We strongly advise you to provide neglect of Caatsa to India because of the planned purchase of the Triumf S-400 Missile System.
In cases where the provision of neglect will advance the interests of US national security, the neglect of this authority, as written into Law by Congress, allowing the President to increase wisdom in applying sanctions, “they wrote in a letter to Biden.
Both Warner, Chairman of the Permanent Election Committee of the Senate on Intelligence, and Cornyn, the Senate Minority Whip for the Grand Old Party (GOP), is a co-chairs of the strong Indian Senate Caucus, the only specific Caucus of the country in the US Senate in the US Senate.