India can't wish away defence ties with Russia

New Delhi: Ahead of strategically-important India-US talks, diplomatic sources on Tuesday said India meets the US waiver criteria for procuring the S-400 missile defence system from sanctions-hit Moscow, and asserted that New Delhi cannot "wish away" its defence ties with Moscow.

Besides India's missile defence systems deal with Russia, terrorism, H1B visas, trade and the situation arising out of US sanctions on buying oil from Iran, are likely to be discussed on Wednesday during the talks between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his American counterpart Mike Pompeo, the first high-level interaction between the two countries after return of the Modi government to power last month.

Pompeo's visit comes ahead of a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan later this week.

During his visit, Pompeo will also call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Talking about Pompeo's visit, Jaishankar in Gandhinagar said India will try to find common ground on trade issues during discussions with Pompeo. Sources also said that India meets the criteria for a US sanctions waiver for procuring S-400 missile defence systems from Russia and the Trump administration has "enough flexibility" on the issue.

"We have a longstanding defence relationship with Russia which we cannot wish away," the source said.

India inked an agreement with Russia in October last year to procure a batch of the missile systems at a cost of Rs 40,000 crore. India went ahead to seal the deal notwithstanding the US' warnings against it.

The US is well aware of the circumstances that "compelled" India to go for a system like S-400, the source added.

The Indian side has explained the rationale very well to the US side and they are appreciative of India's requirement, the source said.

The Indian side feels that it meets the requirements for waiver in the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

With trade likely to figure prominently in their talks, sources said there has been substantial progress on this front with trade going up by double digits percentage in the last three years.