US may not grant waiver to India if it continues buying Russian arms, cautions Pentagon official

The statement comes ahead of the significant two plus two summit between India and US in New Delhi.

AFP/ File/ Prakash Singh

New Delhi: Alarmed at India buying new missile systems from Russia, a top Pentagon official said that there are no guarantees for special waiver from US sanctions, if India continues to buy new weapons from Russia, news agency AFP reported. Washington is concerned at the prospect of India’s military import from Russia, because India is an increasingly important US military ally and the world’s top defence importer. As per present US rules against Russia, the third countries who transact with Russian defence or intelligence sectors, could face sanctions from the United States. However, after lobbying from Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, the US president and the secretary of the state have been given options of granting waivers, when an ally nation transitions from legacy Russian gear to Western arms, AFP reported . As per reports, Randall Schriver, pentagon’s assistant secretary of defence for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs said the impression that Washington would insulate India ‘from any fallout from this legislation, no matter what they do’ is a bit misleading. The statement comes ahead of the significant two plus two summit between India and US in New Delhi. He said that US would still have very significant concerns if India bought major new platforms and systems from Russia.