US frowns on India-Russia defence deals, presence of Crimean leader in Putin team

[Chanakya's_Chant]

US frowns on India-Russia defence deals, presence of Crimean leader in Putin team

Crimean leader Sergey Aksyonov (centre) walks inside a hotel in New Delhi. (Reuters Photo)​

WASHINGTON: The United States on Thursday expressed its disapproval of India concluding defense and nuclear deals with Russia, saying it is not time for "business as usual" with Moscow in the backdrop of its aggression in Ukraine. Washington also said it is troubled by the presence of the leader of the breakaway Crimean region in President Putin's delegation to India and has sought clarifications from New Delhi about it.

The Russian leader's engagement in New Delhi, particularly his being accompanied by Sergey Aksyonov, the Prime Minister of Crimea, the former Ukrainian territory annexed by Russia, evoked sharp reaction in Washington, where preparations are already underway for President Obama's visit to India on January 25/26.

Crimean politician in delegation sets tongues wagging - The Times of India

The fact that Russia and India are trumpeting business ties, particularly in the area of nuclear power at a time the US-India civilian nuclear deal is yet to attain fruition, appeared galling to Washington, which has tried to isolate Putin for his invasion of Ukraine. India does not support western sanctions against Russia for his actions in Ukraine, but at the same time it has not approved the Russian annexation of Crimea either.

At the US State Department briefing, spokesperson Jen Psaki gave India's external affairs ministry the benefit of doubt, suggesting that New Delhi had conveyed to Washington that it was not ''officially aware'' of Aksyonov's presence in the Putin delegation and the US had no reason to disbelieve that assertion. Further clarifications were being sought on the matter.

"I really don't have more details than that. But I don't think we have any reason to believe they were aware," Psaki said, when pressed about whether New Delhi had been dodgy about the matter.

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In New Delhi, the external affairs ministry had earlier said it was not officially aware of the Crimean leader's visit and Aksyonov was not formally a member of Putin's delegation. Apparently, Aksyonov traveled on Putin's plane, but his meeting with an Indian business groups was deemed private, although he was accompanied by Russian officials. No Indian official was at the meeting, allowing New Delhi to claim it did not endorse or support the meeting.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the World Diamond Conference in New Delhi, on December 11, 2014.​

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko meanwhile lashed out at India for entertaining the Crimean leader saying India was placing more importance on money than values by welcoming the "criminal" Aksyanov, and it was ''not standing with civilization'' against Russian aggression.

"The Indian position doesn't help, it doesn't save Aksyanov," Poroshenko, who is backed by the US, told the Lowy Institute think tank in Sydney during a visit. "He is a criminal, it's very simple. He has a criminal background and no doubt he has a criminal future."

The flap could cast a shadow over Obama's visit to New Delhi late January, when the US president will be chief guest at India's Republic Day parade, which also serves as an occasion for New Delhi to showcase its military hardware. US and India have been fostering closer military ties and that aspect of the engagement is expected to get a boost during the Obama visit, particularly since the US president has picked as his new defense secretary Ashton Carter, a man who has been a driving force behind breaking down bureaucratic barriers to closer military ties.

But at a joint news conference after meeting Putin, Prime Minister Modi emphasized India's deep defense ties with Russia, cryptically observing. "Even if India's options have increased, Russia remains our most important defense partner." Spokesperson Psaki too seemed to make light of the purported agreements with Russia, saying Washington has seen press reporting on India concluding business, nuclear, and defense deals with Russia, but not confirmation of those agreements or specifics of what those agreements would entail.

"Our view remains that it's not time for business as usual with Russia. But beyond that, we'd have to take a closer look at what these agreements entail," Psaki said, dismissing any idea of an official protest for the time being.

Source:- US frowns on India-Russia defence deals, presence of Crimean leader in Putin team - The Times of India

 

[he-man]

At the US State Department briefing, spokesperson Jen Psaki gave India's external affairs ministry the benefit of doubt, suggesting that New Delhi had conveyed to Washington that it was not ''officially aware'' of Aksyonov's presence in the Putin delegation and the US had no reason to disbelieve that assertion. Further clarifications were being sought on the matter.

"I really don't have more details than that. But I don't think we have any reason to believe they were aware," Psaki said, when pressed about whether New Delhi had been dodgy about the matter.

LOL.

I bet we knew about this

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

LOL.

I bet we knew about this

Except for the presence of Crimean leader in Putin team I found nothing of much concern for US - the defence deals are usual - nothing new in them - happen every now and then considering the history of Indo-Russian strategic defence ties. BTW the Americans and Ukrainians seem to hate that man pretty much - their president literally branded that man a "criminal"!

 

[gau8av]

I've said it before.. the US has zero leverage here. Let's see how the Obama visit goes and what he brings to the table. Also be interesting to see how, if at all, the French react. Are they going to, can they they afford to, or (under US pressure) will they do a Mistral with the Rafale deal ? (and lose that that fat contract to Mikoyan )

The message is loud and clear... open for business, not open to be pushed around by uncle Sam and his NATO cronies.

long live the India Russia partnership

 

[Sam Manekshaw]

USA will downplay this thing. coz they already know that any how India still gonna engage with Russians. Their is nothing like "get a new friend but forget the old one for the sake of new one."

 

[gau8av]

View attachment 175331

it sure is

and we're good at it

 

[CONNAN]

 

[mike2000]

Interesting news. India despite buying much more of its hardware(U.S displaced Russia as India's largest defence supplier recently) from the U.S/west/israel now, is still rather oblivious of lossing its old patron Russia. Well not like i think there is anything wrong in this, since its up to India's leadership to define their country's foreign policy/where their priorities lies. However the presence of Crimean leader in India during Putin's visit can be seen as a tacit(unofficial) approval of Russia's annexeation/invasion of Crimea, this is a little bit more serious than India doing Business as usual(whuch im sure the U.S/west/Ukraine) dont mind. Crimea leader's presence can be seen as a rebuff for the U.S in its search for an alliance with India, so as to tackle the Chinese influence in the region in the coming decades. As i said before, though India and U.S/west have much more common interests today than India does with Russia(they dont have any common interests/world view, apart from seller buyer arms relationship/'old allies'), India still seems to prefer/priorities its alliance with Russia than with U.S/west. Though its strange, i dont think that will change anytime soon, even as India buys more and more weapons from the U.S/West/Israel. Though India and U.S will keep on trading/weapons sales etc together more and more, there wont be any sort of alliance/partnership as the U.S would have liked. Which is rather strange, since China and Russia have much more deeper relationship/common interests/world view to take on the west/limit western influence in their respective regions, than India and Russia have(this can be seen by how Russians in general view China more positively than any other country today, which is rather strange/ironic). Anyway we have to wait and see how things will play out.

China in all this is rather lucky, since thanks to India's fear of angering/allienating its patron Russia, it will prevent it from getting closer to the U.S for the foreseeable future(same situation as Vietnam). So at best India(and Vietnam) will remain neutral towards any U,.S action and 'Pivot to Asia' . Had there been no Patron Russia, then things/the situation will have been different today. So the U.S will have to count only on its old allies in the region i.e Japan, South Korea, Philippines to maintain its dominance in the region.

Would be really interesting to see how things unfold geo-politically in this region in the coming decades.

Overall, good for India, since they get their shiny weapons/assemble/manufacturing on TOT from moscow, while also getting leverage to buy more/get better deal from the west/U.S. So if India things doing so is in its interests then so be it. All countries should always follow their interest first and foremost.

 

[The Great One]

Interesting news. India despite buying much more of its hardware(U.S displaced Russia as India's largest defence supplier recently) from the U.S/west/israel now, is still rather oblivious of lossing its old patron Russia. Well not like i think there is anything wrong in this, since its up to India's leadership to define their country's foreign policy/where their priorities lies. However the presence of Crimean leader in India during Putin's visit can be seen as a tacit(unofficial) approval of Russia's annexeation/invasion of Crimea, this is a little bit more serious than India doing Business as usual(whuch im sure the U.S/west/Ukraine) dont mind. Crimea leader's presence can be seen as a rebuff for the U.S in its search for an alliance with India, so as to tackle the Chinese influence in the region in the coming decades. As i said before, though India and U.S/west have much more common interests today than India does with Russia(they dont have any common interests/world view, apart from seller buyer arms relationship/'old allies'), India still seems to prefer/priorities its alliance with Russia than with U.S/west. Though its strange, i dont think that will change anytime soon, even as India buys more and more weapons from the U.S/West/Israel. Though India and U.S will keep on trading/weapons sales etc together more and more, there wont be any sort of alliance/partnership as the U.S would have liked. Which is rather strange, since China and Russia have much more deeper relationship/common interests/world view to take on the west/limit western influence in their respective regions, than India and Russia have(this can be seen by how Russians in general view China more positively than any other country today, which is rather strange/ironic). Anyway we have to wait and see how things will play out.

China in all this is rather lucky, since thanks to India's fear of angering/allienating its patron Russia, it will prevent it from getting closer to the U.S for the foreseeable future(same situation as Vietnam). So at best India(and Vietnam) will remain neutral towards any U,.S action and 'Pivot to Asia' . Had there been no Patron Russia, then things/the situation will have been different today. So the U.S will have to count only on its old allies in the region i.e Japan, South Korea, Philippines to maintain its dominance in the region.

Would be really interesting to see how things unfold geo-politically in this region in the coming decades.

Overall, good for India, since they get their shiny weapons/assemble/manufacturing on TOT from moscow, while also getting leverage to buy more/get better deal from the west/U.S. So if India things doing so is in its interests then so be it. All countries should always follow their interest first and foremost.

We got an aircraft carrier, a nuclear submarine, actual ToT for Yakhont, help in building our SSBN etc. all from Russia (also sanction free). This kinda stuff of strategic importance is/will not be available from West. We may buy more weapons from you, but for the more important stuff, neither will West sell it to India, neither can we trust you peeps enough to buy if you did.