Russia, India to Sign Deal on S-400 Air Defence Systems This Week, Says Kremlin Ahead of Putin Visit

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin will oversee the signing of a USD 5 billion deal this week to supply Delhi with S-400 air defence systems, a top Kremlin aide said on Tuesday ahead of Putin's visit, reported AFP.

"The president is leaving for India on October 4," Putin's top foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov told reporters.

"The key feature of this visit will be the signing of the agreement to deliver S-400 air defence systems," he said. "The value of the contract will be more than USD 5 billion."

Moscow has been negotiating to sell the S-400 long-range surface-to-air missiles to India for months.

The sale has irked India's defence partner Washington, which has wanted to wean the Centre off Russian technology, and a senior Pentagon official said in August that sanctions against India would come under consideration if its purchase goes through.

India has signalled it will ask Washington for a special waiver from sanctions, though a US official last week said there is no guarantee it would do so.

The purchase will violate sanctions under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) instituted by the US Congress on arms purchases from Russia, but lawmakers have allowed the possibility of a presidential waiver.

Responding to a question on the possibility of sanctions on India if New Delhi buys S-400 from Russia or if there would be a waiver, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Alice Wells said a few days ago that the current American sanctions are not intended to adversely impact countries like India.

(With inputs from AFP)