Assured of speedy completion of defence projects: Rajnath
Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said he was assured by the Russian leadership that all ongoing contracts for military supplies will proceed as scheduled and be completed speedily despite the impact of the Covid-19 crisis.
Singh’s remarks, made during a media interaction in Moscow, came against the backdrop of reports that India is pushing Russia to advance the delivery of S-400 missile defence systems following a tense stand-off with Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Russia, which accounts for more than 60% of the military hardware used by the Indian armed forces, has called for the easing of tensions between China and India. The tensions spiked after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a violent face-off in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley on June 15. “I have been assured that ongoing contracts will be maintained, and not only will they be maintained, but they will also be completed quickly and in less time,” Singh said, describing his talks with Russian deputy prime minister Yury Borisov as “very positive and productive”.
“All our proposals have received a positive response from the Russian side. I am fully satisfied with my discussions,” he said, without giving details of the proposals.
Singh arrived in Russia on Monday – the first trip abroad by an Indian leader since foreign travel was restricted four months ago due to the pandemic – with a high-level delegation to participate in the Victory Day parade on June 24. He is scheduled to hold several meetings with Russian leaders, though no talks are planned with his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe, who is also in Moscow for the parade.
India plans to seek the advanced delivery of the S-400 missile defence systems, currently due by mid-2021. India and Russia signed a $5.4-billion deal in 2018 for five systems. New Delhi is also expected to ask Moscow to cut delays in supplying spares for key Russian-origin platforms such as tanks, combat jets and helicopters.
New Delhi’s request could potentially place Moscow in a difficult position due to its relations with Beijing. It is becoming increasingly tricky for Russia to maintain good ties with India and China, Alexander Gabuev, a China expert at the Carnegie Moscow Centre, told Bloomberg.
“It’s a very important test overall of Russia’s ability to balance its relationships amid growing dependency on China, which is becoming increasingly assertive and pushing its partners to choose sides,” Gabuev said.