Russia will accelerate the implementation of key defence contract with India for the supply to Delhi five anti-aircraft missile systems (WRU) s-400, and activates the negotiations for the supply of India 33 MiG-29 and su-30MKI. An agreement to boost military-technical cooperation with the largest buyer of Russian weapons became the main result of the visit to Moscow of the head of the defense Ministry of India, Rajnath Singh. The desire of Delhi as soon as possible to receive Russian fighter jets and air defense system (PVO) the result of the growing need to neutralize threats from China and Pakistan, pursuing the rapid modernisation of its air force. As explained “Kommersant” Indian military sources, the Russian weapon in case of conflict would deprive the enemy the chance to achieve air superiority.In the accelerated paradiseparadise Thursday a three-day visit to Moscow, defence Minister of India, Rajnath Singh, his Deputy Ajay Kumar and other senior military was the first foreign trip of the Indian official delegation after the start of the pandemic coronavirus.Although the main purpose of the visit was declared to participate in the celebrations on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Victory Rajnath Singh have had a series of meetings and negotiations in which took part Vice-Premier of the Russian Federation Yuri Borisov, Director of the Federal service for military-technical cooperation of the Russian Federation Dmitry Shugaev and the head of “Rosoboronexport” Alexander Mikheyev. Ahead of his visit to the Agency Bloomberg, citing sources in Delhi said that the Indian delegation will ask Moscow to accelerate the delivery of Russian weapons. The talks confirmed the information. After a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Borisov, who came at her directly in the hotel “Metropol”, where he stopped the Indian delegation, the Minister of defence of India did not hide satisfaction. Without naming specific deals, he made it clear that the goal is fully achieved: “the Discussion was very productive. I was assured that current contracts will not only run, but in many cases, be performed in a shorter time. All our proposals received a positive response from the Russian side”.The contract on delivery of India of 21 MiG-29 and 12 su-30MKI is not yet signed, however, the Indian side expressed its desire to conclude it in October of last year (the total amount of the transaction, expected to reach $650 million). In turn, a contract to supply India five s-400 in the amount of $5 billion was signed in October 2018. While in Delhi immediately made it clear that he will not refuse from purchasing Russian air defense systems, despite pressure from Washington, which threatened to introduce punitive measures against India in accordance with the law “On counteraction to opponents of the United States through sanctions”(CAATSA).Last year, India has transferred Russia the first tranche of $800 million on account of the contract for s-400, and in March of this year Sergey Vasiliev in an interview to “Interfax”, said that Delhi will get the first s-400 system in 2021. But now, after talks in Moscow, new Delhi expects that the first s-400 system will be delivered to the country before the end of this year. The performance of the contract as a whole will be completed in 2024 (assuming that the Russian side will supply India one complex With-400 per year). “If this scenario is implemented, we will see the first installation of s-400 at a military parade on the occasion of India’s Republic Day, which will take place on the main Avenue of the capital of the Indian Rajpath on January 26 next year. This system will be our silver bullet against the enemies”,— said “Kommersant” the Indian military source.In connection with this incident ahead of the visit of the Indian delegation to Moscow sharp deterioration of the situation on the line of control with China in Ladakh a number of Russian and foreign mass media considered the desire of the Indian side to accelerate the implementation of arms contracts in response to the incident on June 16. “After Pakistan acquired the us F-16 Block 52, while China has strengthened its air force’s fifth generation fighter J-20 development, the Indian air force was in a difficult situation. In the event of hostilities it may be a situation when India will be forced to use their fighter jets simultaneously in both defensive and offensive purposes. And it’s very difficult,” says the Indian interlocutor “Kommersant”. And he adds: “the Imbalance will be corrected once the s-400 will assume a major role in the protection of air space of India, allowing you to look deep into Pakistani territory and track the enemy aircraft as soon as they’re in the air, as well as to monitor Chinese fighters taking off from airfields along the Tibetan plateau. Thus, the s-400 will free our multi-purpose fighter aircraft to perform tasks such as strikes on ground targets, freeing them from having to conduct aerial combat with fighters opponents.”According to interlocutors “” in Delhi, three from the Russian systems s-400 after receipt India will be posted on the border with Pakistan, and two on the line of control with China (on the same system on the Western and Eastern areas). While s-400 will be a key element of the air defense system of India, consisting of three parts and also includes anti-aircraft missiles Akash Indian production.”The test of Russian-Chinese friendship,”the Chinese side information about the planned acceleration of the implementation of Russian defense contracts with India officially, no comment. However, on the eve of the negotiations the Indian delegation in Moscow in Russian the account of the newspaper Renmin Ribao (the official publication of the Central Committee of the Communist party of China) in the community “Society of Orientalists of Russia” there was a comment under the heading “India will hold the test of Russian-Chinese friendship?”. “People’s daily” said: “If Russia wants to soften the hearts of the Chinese and Indians, it’s best not to supply arms to India in the sensitive moments. The two Asian powers are very close strategic partners of Russia”. Earlier, Beijing has purchased from Russia six systems s-400. The Chinese newspaper also refers to the publication “Kommersant” on 23 June, which referred to efforts by India and China’s steps to de-escalate on the line of control in Ladakh.”It is obvious that Beijing is trying to influence a decision about selling India weapons. Before in private conversations, Chinese diplomats and experts have voiced their Russian colleagues dissatisfaction with the military-technical cooperation of Moscow with opponents of Beijing, especially with India and Vietnam. However, all these attempts can be seen more as trial balloons to test how the Russian side does give in to pressure on this issue”,— said “Kommersant” the head of the Asian program of the Moscow Carnegie center Alexander Gabuev. “We can assume that Chinese diplomats also create a “credit history” and if in the distant future, Beijing will want to try to put pressure on Moscow and seriously to achieve the collapse of the Russian military-technical cooperation with Delhi and Hanoi, in the course of going by the argument that this wish to strategic partners in the PRC did not come yesterday”,— the expert continues.”It is unknown whether this step you follow the instructions from Beijing or the initiative of local employees, implementing the installation of the Chinese government to be more proactive and creative in promoting the interests of China in the international arena”,— the expert adds.”The Russian leadership is unlikely to regard the Chinese comrades. Although relations with China is the cornerstone of Russian foreign policy to become a Junior partner of China and to sacrifice relations with other players Moscow clearly does not want. That is why the relationship with countries such as India or Vietnam, important and due to the narrow considerations of the expansion of the portfolio of export orders, and broader strategic considerations — the need to balance relations with Beijing development trust contacts with other centers of power, especially Delhi. Until now, Moscow strictly followed this course, and it is unlikely she will reject him in the future,” sums up Alexander Gabuev.Sergey Strokan
