Amid reports that the US may impose sanctions against India if it buys S-400 Triumf air defence missile system from Russia, the issue will figure prominently during the forthcoming 2+2 dialogue between India and US here on September 6.
India will acquire five missile systems worth over Rs 40,000 crore and the talks are in advanced stage with Russia and the deal may be announced before summit talks between President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October.
The maiden 2+2 dialogue will see External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman holding discussions with respective counterparts Mike Pompeo and James Mattis on issues ranging from bilateral to global issues.
India will put forth its views on the proposed missile deal with Russia and convey to the US that it is going ahead with the contract as India needs the missile system to bolster its air defence system. This comes in the backdrop of the US imposing military sanctions against Russia under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) some months back.
The act allows the US Administration to punish entities and countries engaging in significant transactions with the defence or intelligence establishment of Russia. However, the US Congress on August 1 granted President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Pompeo the power to waive off sanctions.
However, the matter gained urgent currency in India as days before the 2+2 talks are to begin Pentagon’s assistant secretary of defence for Asian and pacific Security Affairs Randall Schriver said last week in Washington cannot guarantee New Delhi a special waiver from sanctions if it buys new weapons platforms from Moscow.