New Delhi: In the middle of rising China’s disputes with the peace-loving country India, the New Delhi government may buy Russia’s S-500 Anti-Aircraft Missile System. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov has indicated that India may be the first foreign buyer of its most advanced S-500 ‘Prometei’ anti-aircraft missile system.
The S-500 ‘Prometei’ anti-aircraft missile system is the most advanced Russian mobile service to the air system and was put into service earlier this year. In 2019, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed interest in buying the S-500 units.
“Beyond a doubt, once we deliver this system to our troops, India will be the first on the list, if it expresses its desire to buy these advanced armaments.” Russian Deputy Prime Minister told media.
The comments from the Russian deputy prime minister come even as the delivery of its long-range S-400 ground-to-air missile defense system to India has begun.
However, The $5.5 billion deal for five S-400 systems had become a thorn in the growing US-India partnership, with the latter running the risk of facing the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) sanctions.
The CAATSA was passed in the US in 2017, on the back of the supposed involvement of Russia in the 2016 US presidential elections. Under the CAATSA’s section 231, sanctions would be imposed on entities that “operate for or on behalf of” Russian defense or intelligence sectors.
The US has already imposed CAATSA on Turkey, a NATO ally, for the purchase of a batch of S-400 missile defense systems from Russia, but it has yet to take a call on India.
(_Vinayak Barot)