New Delhi (TIP): India has been pursuing an independent foreign policy based on national security interest which also applies to its defence acquisition and supplies, Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday, after US warned New Delhi against the purchase of S-400 air defence system from Russia.
“India-US has a comprehensive global strategic partnership. India has a special and privileged partnership with Russia. We pursue an independent foreign policy, this also applies to our defence acquisition and supplies guided by a national security interest,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said.
Outgoing US envoy Kenneth Juster said on Tuesday that the Indian government may have to make hard decisions regarding its decision to purchase S-400 air defence system from Russia.
Speaking at an event here, the diplomat asserted that the US does not want to impose sanctions under Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) against “its friends”. But he noted that very soon India would have to make choices between “trade-offs” and acquiring modern military hardware from the US.