India Exercises Its Own Freedom In Weapon Purchases CAATSA Flung Aside
The area air defence missile system S300 manufactured by Almaz-Antey, a Russian Company has been in operational service in Russia since 2007. The S-400 is an upgraded version of the S-300 systems which can detect even the much touted American F35 and F22.
India, after a detailed evaluation decided to procure this long-range missile systems to secure its air defence mechanism, against ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and aircrafts. India’s own system is still undergoing final developments and till declared operational, the S400 system will take care of the vital need.
A befuddled US President and an equally befuddled Administration has been foolish enough to put pressure on India to scrap the S-400 missile deal with Russia. The US first announced sanctions against Russia under the stringent Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) for its alleged meddling in the American presidential election in 2016.
Thereafter US has been trying to pressurize India maintaining that that New Delhi’s deal to procure the lethal missile system from Moscow will have “serious implications” on India-US defence ties. India first ignored all the American tantrums and then then some clear replies at various levels.
Last month, India clearly conveyed to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that it will go by its national interest on the missile deal. India takes sovereign decisions based on entire spectrum of security challenges facing the country and no country can pressurize on this issue.
The Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik while replying to a question on the billion dollar deal with our most trusted friend Russia. He said in a written repky “Government takes sovereign decisions based on threat perception, operational and technological aspects to keep the armed forces in a state of readiness to meet the entire spectrum of security challenges.”
The minister was answering a question on whether countries including the US have expressed concerns on the deal and apprised India of the same. India signed an agreement with Russia last October to procure a batch of the S-400 missile defence systems at an estimated cost of Rs. 40,000 crore.
India went ahead to seal the deal out right rejecting the US’s warnings against it. India dies not care about laws passed by any country which impinges on our sovereignty or on our laws.
