Page 44 - 31OCT2018E

COLUMN
ASIAN DRAMA
SYED
NOORUZZAMAN
The columnist — former
Deputy Editor of The
Tribune, Chandigarh —
specialises in foreign
affairs. With a career
spanning 41 years, he
keeps close watch on
issues related to South
Asian countries. The
views expressed are
personal
India today can do
nuclear trade with
any country without
any kind of global
scrutiny after it
signed the civilian
nuclear deal with the
US during the Bush
administration
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FOREIGN AFFAIRS
India-Russia missile deal: have been competing for fulfilling
Indian demands by using different
Why it was unavoidable tactics.
Yet no country has so far succeeded
in replacing Russia in the Indian
defence market. In terms of their
When US can go to any extent to safeguard its national interests, value, military equipment reaching
why should it object to New Delhi buying defence equipment India from the US every year is worth
an annual $16 billion since 2008 — an
from Moscow or purchasing petroleum products from Tehran? average of $2 billion a year — which is
just 50 per cent of that from Russia.
India also cannot afford to ignore
ndia has finally gone ahead with from Iran? Did India show its displeas- Russia under the US pressure as
the well-calculated purchase ure when the US enacted a law — Coun- China and Pakistan have been trying
of the S-400 missile defence tering America’s Adversaries Through to take the help of Moscow to quip
system from Russia despite the Sanctions Act (CAATSA) — to punish any their armed forces with cutting-edge
frequently the repeated threat of country or its business entity entering military technologies in view of the
I sanctions by the US. The $5 billion into deals with defence and intelligence Russian products being cheaper than
deal was clinched during Russian Presi- sectors of Russia, Iran and North Korea, those produced in Europe or the US.
dent Vladimir Putin’s recent visit to New knowing it well that CAATSA might hit Since Pakistan is finding it difficult to
Delhi. By clinching the deal to acquire New Delhi’s interests considerably? procure military supplies from the US
one of the most sophisticated surface- Obviously, India displayed maturity by owing to the growing deterioration in
to-air defence missile systems, India has keeping quiet. their relations, Islamabad has to look
asserted that its decisions, taken in view True, India’s relations with the US for other sources to meet the needs
of national interests, cannot be influ- have scaled new heights during the past any kind of offers, military or other- policy arrangement. According to a of its defence forces. As the Russian
enced by any power on earth. few years. India today can do nuclear wise, from countries other than the US. well-known Russian defence expert, defence units also need markets for
Having a range of 400 km (248 miles), trade with any country without any kind As Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat told Konstantin Makienko, “Russia is the their sustenance, the situation suits
the S-400 Trumf missile can identify of international scrutiny after it signed a questioner during his recent six-day only country that has huge experience both Moscow and Islamabad under
and destroy 80 targets simultaneously. the civilian nuclear deal with the US Russia visit, “Yes, we do appreciate that of licensed production of its mili- the prevailing circumstances. Pakistan
Since China had already purchased during the George Bush administration, there could be sanctions on us, but we tary equipment in India. In fact, ever cannot depend only on China for all its
this latest missile shield, completely which convinced the Nuclear Suppliers follow an independent policy.” since the Soviet Union entered the military hardware requirement owing
disregarding the US sanctions threat, Group to allow a waiver in the case of If this was not enough to satisfy Indian market in the 1960s, Moscow to strategic reasons despite Beijing be-
India could not remain unmoved. In India as it has been conducting itself as Russia, feeling uneasy because of the worked according to the Make In India ing its all-weather friend.
fact, New Delhi should have gone ahead a responsible nuclear weapon power strengthening India-US relations, Gen principle.” India’s relations with Russia have
to buy the new missile system much despite not having signed the Non- Rawat specifically told the Russians The Russian expert went on to a long and glorious history. Bothneed
earlier than China, which acquired it in Proliferation Treaty (NPT). As a result, again, “You can rest assured that while explain the situation by stating, “Even each other today too though there is a
September this year. There is a limit to India purchased some nuclear reactors we may be associating with America in the first projects of supplying MiG-21 drastic change in the geopolitical and
bothering about the US reaction while from the US to give a push to its nuclear getting some technology, our foreign second generation aircraft included a strategic matrix in the world. Keeping
taking decisions to procure defence power generation project. policy remains independent.” license transfer allowing their produc- these factors in view, New Delhi will
equipment from any source other than Besides these, India purchased a Interestingly, the Army Chief was in tion in India. This practice continued have to convince the Donald Trump
Washington. number of expensive-130J and-17 mili- Russia when Prime Minister Narendra with new MiG-23 and MiG-27 aircraft administration to use the US Presi-
decision to acquire the Trumf missile tary transport aircraft, P-8I long-range, Modi and President Putin signed the and reached its peak with the imple- dent’s power for allowing a waiver
The US got unnerved as India’s
deal for the supply of S-400 missile
in the case of India. Any US move to
multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft
mentation of the Su-30MKI pro-
defence system was announced ignor- and AH-64 Apache multi-role combat defence systems to India. He pointed gramme. Russia was also quite actively impose sanctions will create bitterness
ing Washington’s foreign policy moves helicopters between 2008 and 2016 out to the Russians that India was cooperating in other projects, such as in the India-US relations, which may
from the US costing around $16 billion.
in ship building in Indian shipyards as
prepared to procure more military
aimed at using any available opportu-
ultimately embolden China to con-
nity to punish Russia for its capture of India also signed a deal with France hardware like Kamov helicopters from well as in producing T-72C and T-90C tinue with its expansionist policies in
Cremea from Ukraine and Moscow’s in 2016 to buy Dassault-manufactured Russia, an old and trusted ally, to high- tanks for the Indian Army.” South Asia, East Asia and other sensi-
light the point that New Delhi values its
meddling in the 2016 US presidential
Rafale fighter aircraft for $10 billion. The
India, the largest importer of Rus-
tive regions. Nothing should be done
elections. Rafales, though mired in a controversy, time-tested relations with Moscow. sian military hardware, gets its annual to weaken India-US bonds as these are
When the US can go to any extent
There is one major advantage in
to safeguard its national interests, why will be supplied during 2019-21 — 18 will entering into defence technology- defence supplies worth $4 billion from essential for maintaining the balance
be imported and 108 will be manufac-
of power at least in the region where
Moscow. Since India is also the world’s
should it object to India purchasing tured in India. related deals with Russia. All weapon biggest importer of defence products India is located.
Thus, India has shown that there is
defence equipment from Russia or buy-
after Saudi Arabia, most countries
systems acquired from Moscow are
ing petroleum products like oil and gas no reason why it will not take interest in manufactured under the Make in India manufacturing military equipment LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM
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