Assured by Russia of speedy completion of defence contracts, says Rajnath Singh

Defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday 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 speed up the delivery of S-400 missile defence systems following a tense standoff 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 at Galwan Valley on June 15. “I have been assured that ongoing contracts will be maintained, and not only will they be maintained, they will 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 about 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 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’s becoming increasingly tricky for Russia to maintain good ties with India and China, Alexander Gabuev, a China expert at the Carnegie Moscow Center, 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. The sale of the S-400 and more combat jets to India won’t spoil relations with China, said Igor Korotchenko, head of the Centre for Analysis of World Arms Trade. “The Indian arms market is a top priority for us,” he said. “There’s no problem here for our ties with China.” Singh described defence cooperation as one of the important pillars of the India-Russia special and privileged strategic partnership and said he and Borisov had reviewed the defence relationship. The traditional friendship between India and Russia remains strong and the mutual interests of the two sides “are solid”, he added. On Tuesday morning, defence secretary Ajay Kumar also held talks with his Russian counterpart, deputy defence minister Alexander Fomin. Pointing to the 75th anniversary of the Victory Day parade, which marks the end of World War 2, Singh said Indian soldiers too participated in the war effort in the millions and suffered immense causalities. “Many of them were part of the efforts to assist the Soviet Army. Therefore, it is a great honour that an Indian military contingent will be marching in the Red Square tomorrow. This is a sign of the everlasting friendship between the armed forces of our two countries,” he said. Singh also said India is looking forward to a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this year. On Tuesday, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov also hosted a virtual trilateral meeting with his Chinese and Indian counterparts, Wang Yi and S Jaishankar. Following the meeting, Lavrov said, “India and China have every means to solve any problems that arise in their relationship…I don’t think India and China need any help.”