US ready to help India's defence but buying S-400 from Russia would limit cooperation: Trump admin
Washington: The US is ready to help India's defence needs with the latest technologies and equipment, but New Delhi purchasing long-range S-400 missile defence system from Russia would limit cooperation, the Trump administration has cautioned.
The statement came weeks after an identical warning from a senior State Department official who had said that New Delhi's deal to procure the lethal missile system from Moscow will have "serious implications" on India-US defence ties.
The S-400 is known as Russia's most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile defence system. China was the first foreign buyer to seal a government-to-government deal with Russia in 2014 for the system.
India and Russia signed a USD 5 billion S-400 air defence system deal in October last year after wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Senior State Department official (South and Central Asian Affairs) Alice G Wells told House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee for Asia, the Pacific and Nonproliferation on Thursday that the US now does more military exercises with India than any other country.
"Under the Trump administration, we've been very clear that we're ready to help meet India's defence needs and we are seeking a very different kind of defence partnership building on the 'Major Defence Partner' designation that India has received from Congress," Wells said.
She was replying to the Congressional sub-committee on India buying S-400 from Russia and how to make India-US ties as robust and as meaningful as possible.
Just a few weeks ago, India, the United States, the Philippines and Japan did a sail by in the South China Sea, she said.
"In both our bilateral, trilateral, quadrilateral formats, we're working together in ways that we didn't even conceive of 10 years ago. And so we'd like all aspects of our military relationship to catch up to this new partnership," Wells said.
Noting that India has a historical dependence on Russian arms, she said what causes concern with the S-400 is that it effectively could limit India's ability "to increase our own interoperability".
At a certain point, she argued, a strategic choice has to be made by India about partnerships and a strategic choice about what weapon systems and platforms it is going to adopt.
"It is the case that 10 years ago we did not offer the range of military equipment to India that we're prepared to offer today. We're very much engaged in a conversation with India over how we can broaden our defence relationship," Wells said in response to a question.
Signing of COMCASA agreement between the two countries, she said, was a key step forward which allows for the classified sharing of information, which is one of the basic foundational agreements that foster military interoperability.
"So we're making significant strides forward in our military relationship," she said.
"There is no a blanket waiver or country waiver when it comes to an S-400. We have serious concern about a possible S-400 purchase (by India) and we're continuing our conversations on what the United States or other defence providers could assist India," Wells said.
Over the last 10 years, she said India-US defence trade has increased from zero to USD 18 billion, as New Delhi has started to diversify its weapons sources.
"We expect continued progress and expanding that defence relationship. But it's still the case that about 65 or 70 per cent of India's military hardware is Russian origin," she said.
And when Russian President Putin visited India last October, there were additional announcements of big ticket military items that were potentially under consideration, she said.
Responding to another question, Wells alleged that India has the highest tariff barriers of a G-20 country.
"Historically it has been a protected market. So, our failure to negotiate an agreement over the course of the last year and a half led to the decision to suspend the GSP benefits," she said.
However, GSP or asking India to stop purchasing oil from Iran is unlikely to push India into the China camp, she said when asked about it from a lawmaker.
"I don't think so. We are India's largest and best market. Twenty per cent of India's goods come here. There is Indian Foreign Direct Investment in the US. There's a huge interest by US firms in India. As Prime Minister Modi begins his second term. he's preoccupied with job creation and attracting Foreign Direct Investment is going to be a key part of that strategy.
"Properly conducted trade can be a huge strength to the relationship and that's certainly our focus as we begin our engagement with Prime Minister Modi in his second term as how do we fix this part of the relationship," Wells added.
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Protests against Khamenei's killing: Curbs remain in force in Kashmir
Srinagar (PTI): Strict restrictions remained imposed in many areas of Kashmir for the third consecutive day on Wednesday following massive protests across the valley against the killing of Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, officials said.
As a precautionary measure, the government shut educational institutions till Saturday, while mobile internet speed continued to remain throttled.
"Restrictions on the movement and assembly of the people continued in many parts of Kashmir on Wednesday," the officials said.
They said strict restrictions were being enforced especially in the parts having large Shia population and those areas which have witnessed massive protests over the last three days.
A large number of police and paramilitary CRPF personnel were deployed across the city to prevent gatherings of protestors, the officials said.
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They added that concertina wires and barricades were placed at important intersections leading into the city, while asserting that these were precautionary measures imposed to maintain law and order.
The iconic Ghanta Ghar in the city centre of Lal Chowk here continued to remain a no-go zone after the authorities sealed area with barricades erected all around it on late Sunday night.
The move to seal the Ghanta Ghar came after it witnessed massive protests on Sunday after Khamenei's assassination in the joint air strikes by the US and Israel.
This is the first time since August 2019 that protests on such a large scale have taken place in Kashmir.
The government had first ordered the closure of schools, colleges and universities for two days. However, on Tuesday it decided to close the educational institutions till Saturday as a precautionary measure in view of the protests.
Mobile internet speeds continued to remain throttled while some prepaid mobile connections were also barred, the officials added.
On Tuesday, protests rocked several places in the valley, including Sumbal and Pattan areas of North Kashmir.
In Sumbal of Bandipora district, security forces had to resort to force to disperse the demonstrators.
Some media outlets and individuals, including National Conference Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, and former Srinagar mayor Junaid Azim Mattu, faced police heat for allegedly circulating misleading information.
A case was filed against Mehdi and Mattu under BNS sections 197(1)(d) and 353(1)(b) at Cyber Police Station, Srinagar, for allegedly circulating "false, fabricated and misleading content" on digital and social media platforms.
"The content in question, prima facie, reflects the dissemination of distorted narratives and unverified information capable of causing public unrest and societal disharmony. Such deliberate attempts to spread misinformation pose a serious threat to peace, security, and overall stability," the police said in a statement.
Both have been condemning the killing of Khameinei and the attacks by the US and Israel on Iran.
However, hours after the registration of the case, Mehdi, an influential Shia leader, said he would not be deterred from speaking the truth.
"The people of Srinagar did not elect their MP to recite government-approved condolences. They elected him to speak truth. That mandate does not expire with an FIR," he said in a post on X.
Police has issued an appeal to people to refrain from violence and provocation.
"We appeal to all sections of the society to exercise restraint and refrain from violence and provocation," it said.
Police said they will take strict legal action against instigators of violence and those involved in unlawful activities.
On Tuesday, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha directed officials to be on high alert and chaired a meeting of top officials of the police and army here.
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"Chaired a meeting of senior police & civil administration officials at the Police Control Room, Kashmir, to review the law and order situation. Directed the officers to remain on heightened alert and take all necessary measures to ensure public peace and tranquillity," Sinha said on X.
He appealed to the people and community leaders to maintain peace.
"I also appeal to the citizens and community leaders to uphold harmony and contribute to an atmosphere of calm and goodwill in society. Preserving peace and sustaining the progress of society is a shared responsibility that rests equally upon each one of us," he said.
