NEW DELHI – Russian President Vladimir Putin has brought S-400 missiles, stealth frigates and space help for New Delhi on a two-day annual India-Russia bilateral summit on Thursday.
The Russian head of the state, who was accompanied by a high-level delegation, was received by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in the Indian capital city. During his visit, India and Russia are likely to sign about 20 pacts in areas ranging from defence, nuclear energy, space and economy.
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Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a brief meeting on Thursday, India’s External Affairs Ministry said. The Indian PM hosted a one-on-one dinner for Putin at his official residence in New Delhi, reports PTI.
Tomorrow both the leaders are likely to sign important agreements including a $5 billion deal to buy Russian S-400 air defence systems despite a new US law ordering sanctions on any country trading with Russia’s defense and intelligence sectors.
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Meanwhile, the US warned India against signing the S-400 deal with Russia, saying that sanctions would be imposed on countries which deal with Russia despite US restrictions.
India and Russia have a close relationship that dates back to the Cold War with the US. India depended on Russia for political support as well as billions of dollars in military hardware. Nearly 70 percent of India’s present-day defense equipment was procured from Russia, according to India’s Defense Ministry.
India is now looking to upgrade and diversify its capabilities, and sees the S-400 missile systems as a game-changer. India also has intensified its defense ties with the US in recent years with joint military drills and defense sales.
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India has signed more than $15 billion in US defense contracts since 2008, including for C-130J and C-17 transport aircraft, P-8I maritime patrol aircraft, Harpoon missiles and Apache and Chinook helicopters.
Besides the S-400 deal, India and Russia are also expected to sign a number of crucial energy deals. ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) may sign a pact with Gazprom, the Sputnik reported.
