India has had a long-standing defence relationship with Russia for many years when the United States was not available to be a partner, a top advisor of US Secretary Antony Blinken said, adding that “Washington fully understands New Delhi’s longstanding ties to Moscow.” In an exclusive interview with ANI on Thursday (local time), Derek Chollet, Blinken’s top advisor, said that the US is there to support India and the partnership between US and India has tremendous potential. “We understand that India has had a long-standing defence relationship with Russia over many years and part of that was because the United States was not available to be a partner. It is decades ago and we face a much different reality today,” he said. “Over the last 10 years, the US-India Defence Partnership has changed dramatically. We see great potential and opportunity in their relationships. Anything that two plus two conversations between Secretary (Antony) Blinken and Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin had with their counterparts helped further clarify that.”
Asserting that India is a strategic partner of the United States, Chollet said: “We’re natural allies. And this partnership has tremendous potential. It’s already paying dividends for both countries in the region and all around the world. And we think, really, there’s nowhere to go but up.”
He also noted that the US is in close touch with India. “We fully understand their long-standing defence ties to Russia,” Blinken’s top advisor said.
Russia might not be able to make equipment at its previous rates due to sanctions imposed against Moscow. Some of the Russian arms plants reportedly have halted production as they face difficulties in importing source components.
Asked about how the US was planning to use this opportunity (arms export) to “lure” India, Blinken’s top advisor said: “It’s not so much about luring India away. We see this partnership is growing organically. And this is something both sides seek to achieve in terms of making our relationship across the board but especially our defence relationship, even stronger. It (the relationship) can’t happen overnight. It’s going to take a long time to make this shift. And we want to be there to support our Indian allies.”
The United States hasn’t made a final decision on sanctions on India for its acquisition of the S-400 missile system from Russia under the Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), Chollet also said indicating that Washington is focused on the “future” with New Delhi.
“I share the view of my boss Secretary Blinken, that we have not made a decision on that (CAATSA). We are focused on the future with the Indians.”
On India’s determination to purchase the S-400 missile defence system from Russia, Blinken during 2+2 ministerial dialogue earlier this month said: “We have not made determination potential sanctions or waivers under CAATSA law.”
During the high level diplomatic and defence dialogue between India and the United States, Blinken reiterated that he had urged all nations not to undertake weapons delivery from Russia.
Meanwhile, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said on Friday that the US would help India move away from its long-term reliance on Russian weapons, given the impact of global sanctions on Russia’s arm industry. ANI