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Russian weapons cheaper; firms keen on joint ventures, India told US: Report
Victoria Nuland during her recent visit to India said India must stand against autocracies like Russia and China as the Russia-China axis is not good for India.
India is believed to have conveyed to the United States that the alternatives to Russian weapons were too expensive, Bloomberg reported quoting people aware of India's recent exchanges with the US following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The report said India informed US Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland of the drawbacks of alternatives to Russian weapons.
Apart from cheap equipment, Russian companies were willing to set up joint ventures with Indian companies, which US defence arms are reluctant, India reportedly told Nuland.
US says ready to become India's reliable supplier, to counter Russia dependence
In March, Victoria Nuland came to India and held a consultation with foreign secretary Harsh Shringla. She also met foreign minister S Jaishankar. Nuland said the Russia-China axis is not good for India and US can help with defence supplies.
During her visit, Victoria Nuland said India should stand against autocracies like Russia and China, notwithstanding the historic relationship between India and Russia, which developed at a time when the US was not ready to have that kind of a relationship with India.
‘No pressure on India over trade with Russia’: MEA on sanctions against Moscow
However, New Delhi is optimistic about the 2+2 dialogue with the US on military cooperation. "Recent public statements from Washington warning India about consequences for purchases of weapons and discounted oil from Russia are contrary to private discussions between the two sides, the people said, asking for anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the talks," the Bloomberg report said.
India's ongoing trade with Russia following Moscow's war on Ukraine has become a contentious issue on the global platform, with the US pulling out all the stops to persuade New Delhi to reduce its business with Moscow.
US defence secretary Lloyd Austin recently said Washington expects India to scale down its dependence on Russian defence equipment, going forward. “And our requirement going forward is that they downscale the types of equipment that they’re investing in and look to invest more in the types of things that will make us continue to be compatible,” Austin said.
US President Joe Biden's top economic adviser Brian Deese has also warned India against partnering with Russia. "Our message to the Indian government is that the costs and consequences for them of moving into a more explicit strategic alignment with Russia will be significant and long-term," Brian said.
While Indian ministers including Jaishankar and finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman defended New Delhi's business with Russia for national interest, the ministry of external affairs on Thursday said there was no pressure on India from Western nations regarding its trade ties with Russia.
