Confirmation of India's S-400 Acquisition and Additional Arms Purchases
Neutral Diplomacy Between the US and Russia...Concerns Over US Sanctions Pressure
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] It has been reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a summit and signed a military technology agreement between the two countries. India is a key member of the Quad, a military alliance aimed at countering China, but it has maintained a strategic partnership with Russia since the Soviet era and has pursued a neutral diplomatic stance. India is actively pursuing the introduction of the S-400 missile defense system developed by Russia and additional arms purchases, raising concerns about diplomatic friction with the United States, which has imposed sanctions on countries importing the S-400.
According to foreign media including CNN on the 6th (local time), Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who visited New Delhi that day. The two leaders signed a military technology agreement valid for 10 years until 2030 and agreed to increase bilateral trade volume to around $30 billion annually by 2025.
In a joint statement released after the summit, the two leaders reaffirmed their position to strengthen cooperation in the defense sector, including jointly developing military equipment.
A 2+2 meeting involving the defense and foreign ministers of both countries was also held. The Russian side announced that India will produce the AK-203 assault rifle and that Russia will continue to supply the S-400 air defense missile system to India. India also mentioned the S-400, explaining that "supply began this month and will continue going forward."
The announcement of the military technology agreement between the two countries came a day before the virtual summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and President Putin. It is interpreted as Russia showcasing its diplomatic relations with India as a means to counter U.S. diplomatic pressure.
India is a core country of the Quad, formed to counter China militarily by the United States, but India has emphasized a neutral stance, asserting that it maintains strategic partnerships with both the U.S. and Russia and can purchase weapons from any country depending on its security environment.
The U.S. government had previously applied sanction pressure when India signed the S-400 purchase agreement with Russia in 2018. Under the 'Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act' enacted in 2017, the U.S. can impose sanctions on countries purchasing weapons from hostile nations such as Russia, and it has previously sanctioned Turkey’s defense procurement agency for purchasing the S-400.
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