Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin hinted during a visit to New Delhi on Saturday that India’s planned purchase of an advanced Russian missile system could trigger U.S. sanctions, but left room for New Delhi to back away from the deal. India’s decision and US reactions will be closely monitored in Turkey, a NATO member, which has already purchased the S-400s. US Ambassador Turkey, Mr Satterfield noted that the issue of S-400s continues to be a problem for bilateral ties.
“The purchase of S-400s will have serious repercussions,” Satterfield told Turkish journalists, adding that Turkey needs to give up its Russian defense system.
“We certainly urge all our allies and partners to move away from Russian equipment … and really avoid any kind of acquisitions that would trigger sanctions on our behalf,” Austin said in response to a question from a reporter about India’s plan to acquire the S-400.
However, he stressed that Russia has not yet delivered the equipment to New Delhi. While Austin did discuss the system with his Indian counterpart, Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh, the two did not discuss potential sanctions, he said.
“We are aware of the fact that they have expressed interest in acquiring the system,” Austin acknowledged. But “they have not acquired an S-400 system yet, so there would be no reason for sanctions to be on the table.”
The United States has in recent years sought to pull India from Russia’s and China’s orbit with high-profile visits and increasing arms sales and military cooperation. But India’s planned purchase of the S-400 could prove a flashpoint, particularly after Congress imposed sanctions on Turkey for acquiring the same system.
U.S. officials have said the S-400 cannot co-exist with U.S. equipment, as it can be used to collect intelligence on U.S. systems. They are particularly concerned about Russia using the S-400 to learn about the F-35 fighter jet’s advanced capabilities.
Austin came under increased pressure to raise the issue with Indian officials this week after Sen. Bob Menendez, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, urged the Pentagon chief to make clear the Biden administration’s opposition to the S-400 deal.
“If India chooses to go forward with its purchase of the S-400, that act will clearly constitute a significant, and therefore sanctionable, transaction with the Russian defense sector under Section 231 of CAATSA,” Menendez wrote in a recent letter to Austin, referring to the law called Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.
“It will also limit India’s ability to work with the US on development and procurement of sensitive military technology,” Menendez continued. “I expect you to make all of these challenges clear in conversations with your Indian counterparts.”
However, the law does leave room for the secretary of State to waive sanctions for any individual country that purchases Russian equipment.
Regarding Turkey, “This is the only solution we can defend in Congress. The only way to solve the S-400 crisis is for Turkey to not have the S-400s,” the envoy said, adding that this was not a personal approach but was completely a matter of legal necessity.
NATO foreign ministers will gather this week in Brussels for the US-backed alliance’s first face-to-face meeting involving Biden’s team. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday he has “serious concerns” over actions by member state Turkey, but insisted the alliance was an important platform for resolving disputes involving Ankara.
“I have expressed my serious concerns and we all know there are serious differences and some issues, ranging from the eastern Mediterranean, the Turkish decision to buy the Russian air defence system S-400 or related to democratic rights in Turkey,” Stoltenberg told lawmakers from the European Parliament.
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