Narendra Modi speaks alongside Joe Biden at the US State Department. PHOTO: AFP
The future of US-Indian relations depends on New Delhi’s S-400 decision
India has long wanted to turn Russia and China against each other in order to divide and rule them both
Last week I wrote about the three factors that will shape the future of US-Pakistani relations, and this week I’m focusing on the single most important one that will shape US-Indian relations: New Delhi’s S-400 decision. Reuters exclusively reported last week citing unnamed sources that the US won’t provide a CAATSA sanctions waiver for India’s planned S-400 purchase from Russia. This followed Indian Defence Ministry sources announcing that nearly 100 officers and airmen will travel to Russia later this month for training and maintenance of those systems according to Sputnik. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs had earlier emphasised that it “follows an independent foreign policy” in response to previous US sanctions threats.