"India, Russia Have Longstanding Ties": US Admiral On S-400 Missile Deal

The United States needs to understand that India has had a longstanding relationship with the Russians for security cooperation and military equipment, a top American admiral told lawmakers, indicating that he would push for encouraging New Delhi to move away from Moscow rather than taking the route of sanctions for the purchase of major defence equipment. Admiral John Aquilino, during his confirmation hearing on Tuesday to be the next commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command or INDOPACOM, was responding to a question from Senator Jeanne Shaheen on India's decision to purchase the S-400 missile system from Russia. "India is really a terrific partner and as we've seen from the recent Quad discussions, I think the importance of India and the rest of the nations in the Quad will increase. We're at a balance. However, India has had a longstanding relationship with the Russians for security cooperation and for military equipment," he said. "... if confirmed, I would work to continue to encourage India to look at and consider US equipment. Number one, it's the best. Number two, it generates interoperabiliy and makes it easier to work together and I think we should encourage India to do that through all the elements of national power and see where that goes," the US admiral told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Responding to another question from Senator Debra Fischer, John Aquilino said the work, or the effort that India has taken on to protect its northern border amid a standoff with China is noteworthy. John Aquilino said the goal of the Chinese is to supplant US security leadership in the region, be it in the South China Sea or on the northern border of India, and change international rules beyond what the nations agreed to under the 1982 UNCLOS Treaty to their benefit. "It is extremely important when you look at India as the world's largest democracy, combined with three other nations have shared values and beliefs. When an organisation of that magnitude comes together, it would generate concern for anyone with an opposite opinion," John Aquilino said.