India-Russia relationship decades old, we're reliable partners post Ukraine war: US

A top visor of US Secretary Antony Blinken acknowledged that India-Russia relationship is deces old and ded, "Washington fully understands New Delhi's long-standing ties to Moscow."

While speaking to news agency ANI on Thursday, Derek Chollet, Blinken's top visor said that India and Russia have been sharing a "good bond" when United States was not available to be a partner.

However, he stressed that India-US partnership has also enough potential to thrive tremendously. "We understand that India has h a long-standing defence relationship with Russia over many years and part of that was because United States was not available to be a partner. It is deces ago and we face a much different reality today," Chollet said.

"Over last 10 years, US-India Defense Partnership has changed dramatically. We see great potential and opportunity in ir relationships. Anything that two plus two conversations between Secretary (Antony) Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin h with ir counterparts helped furr clarify that," he ded. 

Chollet stressed that relationship between United States and India is "natural" in close touch with India and ded that Biden ministration is very much eager to work with India as it diversifies its defence capabilities and defence suppliers.

According to him, defence demand of New Delhi has been changed in last dece and ded, Biden ministration would fully cooperate with Modi government in securing deals.

"We very much want to be part of that. We're doing much more than we've ever done in history of our relationship toger in terms of defence. And so, as India's seeking to acquire new capabilities, United States very much wants to be a partner with India in that effort," he said.

Citing ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and subsequent sanctions imposed by West and European countries, he said that Moscow wouldn't be in position to accomplish its previous defence deals as several countries have stopped exporting components to Moscow.

" difficulty of doing business with Russia is only going to grow over time. It's become much harder given all sanctions placed on Russia in last 12 weeks," he said.

"Also, export control against Russia... Russia's inability to import key technologies to be able to make certain products, including some of its military hardware, is going to mean that it's going to have a hard time even getting capability to replace or produce this kind of material. So, any way you look at it in terms of actual capability, in terms of difficulty of doing business with Russia, in terms of reputation costs associated, Russia is just a far less attractive partner,” he said.

India to receive S-400 air defence system by July

It is worth mentioning India has been importing several Russian-me weapons, including tanks, artillery guns and missile systems for deces. It has also signed deals to purchase S-400 air defence system from Moscow despite a repetitive warning from US. 

Even US warned India could face sanctions under Countering America's versaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) when New Delhi signed deal with Russia. Earlier, it was expected that New Delhi would receive second squron of S-400 air defence system this month but due to ongoing war, it is likely to be delayed by three months.

With inputs from ANI

Image: AP/PTI