EVERGREEN RUSSIAN FACTOR IN EVOLUTION OF IAF
Geopolitics|February 2021
AMIT COWSHISH argues why it is hard to ignore the Russian factor in India’s military capability
AMIT COWSHISH
EVERGREEN RUSSIAN FACTOR IN EVOLUTION OF IAF

Despite the threat of US sanctions looming over India’s $5.5 billion import of five Russian Almaz-Antey S-400 Triumf self-propelled surface-to-air (SAM) missile systems, it is improbable that India will dump Russia as its most reliable material provider. If anything, the reliance on Russian defence equipment which presently arms over 60 per cent of its services, will not only be sustained but will further proliferate, as India struggles to modernise its forces to meet security challenges in the neighbourhood.

The camaraderie that has evolved between the defence establishments of the two countries over the past six decades also remains robust, despite several irritants, including India’s increasingly sourcing of newer equipment from alternate sources in France, Israel, and the US. But the US, it seems, is seeking to dent these symbiotic ties that successfully weathered the storm caused by the Soviet Union’s disintegration in the early 1990s and the consequent dispersal of its vast military-industrial complex into many Republics, several of them inimical to Russia.

Senior US officials, including Kenneth Juster, the outgoing US envoy to New Delhi, recently indicated the possibility of Washington invoking the four-year-old Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) against India for acquiring the S-400 air defence systems for the Indian Air Force (IAF). Other Russian equipment like combat aircraft, helicopters, warships, nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) and small arms, varied missiles, and munitions, amongst others, make Indian vulnerable to the US sanctions.

This story is from the February 2021 edition of Geopolitics.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the February 2021 edition of Geopolitics.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM GEOPOLITICSView All
THE NEW WAVE OF MARINE LANDING CRAFT.
Geopolitics

THE NEW WAVE OF MARINE LANDING CRAFT.

BAE Systems' new Littoral Strike Craft combines advanced stealth, comfort, and modularity to redefine modern amphibious mission capabilities.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2024
PROVEN AIP FOR S80 SUBMARINES
Geopolitics

PROVEN AIP FOR S80 SUBMARINES

The BEST AIP system is capable of operating at any depth and in all operational conditions, allowing it to adapt to any Navy mission and making it the most advanced AIP system on the market.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2024
SHAPING THE FUTURE OF AI SECURE, SCALABLE, AND INNOVATIVE
Geopolitics

SHAPING THE FUTURE OF AI SECURE, SCALABLE, AND INNOVATIVE

Tardid leverages modular AI designs, robust cybersecurity, and adaptability to deliver secure and scalable solutions, integrating emerging technologies and refining strategies through realworld deployments, shares AASTHA VERMA, Chief Operating Officer, Tardid Technologies, with Geopolitics

time-read
5 mins  |
December 2024
TOT-AN IMPERATIVE FOR SUBMARINE MANUFACTURING
Geopolitics

TOT-AN IMPERATIVE FOR SUBMARINE MANUFACTURING

India's transition from offset strategies to fostering self-reliance through technology transfer (TOT) and local assembly highlights the significance of global collaborations like thyssenkrupp Marine Systems in shaping a robust, indigenised defence ecosystem, a perspective shared by KHALIL RAHMAN, CEO, thyssenkrupp Marine Systems India.

time-read
5 mins  |
December 2024
ENHANCING INDIAN NAVAL AVIATION
Geopolitics

ENHANCING INDIAN NAVAL AVIATION

JYOTI SINGH reports how a powerful Indian naval air arm will prove to be the biggest seabased conventional level deterrence, both for the tactical and strategic battlefields

time-read
10 mins  |
December 2024
PROJECT-751-30 YEARS ON
Geopolitics

PROJECT-751-30 YEARS ON

India's ambitious Project-751, aimed at procuring six advanced submarines, remains stalled nearly three decades after its inception.

time-read
7 mins  |
December 2024
WINGS OVER THE OCEAN
Geopolitics

WINGS OVER THE OCEAN

Indian Naval Aviation is dramatically upgrading its combat potency with its latest inductions, writes Atul Chandra

time-read
7 mins  |
December 2024
HOW INDIA IS RESHAPING REGIONAL DETERRENCE, MARITIME DOMINANCE
Geopolitics

HOW INDIA IS RESHAPING REGIONAL DETERRENCE, MARITIME DOMINANCE

In the theatre of modern geopolitics, control over the seas is synonymous with strategic dominance. With its vast coastline and critical position in the Indo-Pacific, India has always recognised the importance of maritime strength, outlines GIRISH LINGANNA

time-read
5 mins  |
December 2024
BUILDERS NAVY
Geopolitics

BUILDERS NAVY

The Indian Navy's modernisation efforts are picking up steam, with domestic shipyards running at full capacity, reports MIKE RAJKUMAR

time-read
8 mins  |
December 2024
THE NAVY'S NEED FOR SUBMARINES
Geopolitics

THE NAVY'S NEED FOR SUBMARINES

While aircraft carriers have their place, submarines provide India with a more flexible, cost-effective, and survivable option for projecting power and maintaining deterrence in a complex and evolving strategic environment, argues AMIT GUPTA

time-read
10+ mins  |
December 2024