US Sanctions May Not Be Waived If India Buys Weapons From Russia: Pentagon

The good and growing relationship between India and Russia seems not liked by Washington as a top Pentagon official has warned US sanctions waiver could not be guaranteed.

The official added they want India to seek alternatives instead of buying new weapons platforms from Russia.

India is currently top defence importer in the world and an important US military ally too.

The current US rules reveal any third countries who transact with Russian defence or intelligence sectors would face sanctions. India is learned to be buying new systems including S-400 long-range, surface-to-air missile system from Russia.

Meanwhile, Congress has also granted the US president for granting waivers to ally nation if the similar transactions are moved away from Russia and geared into Western arms.

Pentagon said, “We would still have very significant concerns if India pursued major new platforms and systems (from Russia). I can’t sit here and tell you that they would be exempt, that we would use that waiver.”

The words were of Pentagon’s assistant secretary of defence for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, Randall Schiriver, who is to visit India to attend a historic summit in capital New Delhi next week. The event will be a first ever 2+2 between the two nations.

He added that buying S-400 from Russia is troubling US in number of reasons.