How to deal with sanctions in view of India purchasing S-400 Triumf from Russia?

New Delhi, Oct 5: It remains to be a ticklish issue for India how to deal with the matter if the United States imposes sanctions in view of India purchasing S-400 Triumf. But neither India intends to go back nor wants to confront with any country. So what are the measures that India can take to sail this deal through and avoid sanctions.

Sources said that sanctions against any country come into force only when deal reaches the level of paying money or use transportation for the items. In such a situation the specific company on both sides will be sanctioned. So there is still possibility for India to carry on a dialogue with the US on one hand and with the Russian on the other to say that this is extremely important for India to carry on with this purchase. India-Russia may perhaps try to come up with some agreement on payment scheduled. Possibility of delay in payments might help up to some extent.

It is also being hoped that the US could see the merit of the deal and looking at the partnership with India as also of the national security interest to United States, they may full forgo sanctions and India can try to delay the entire process by telling the Russians to go for some kind of Rupee-Rubal trade in the meantime. So till such time it will remain a debt to the Russians. India will keep on doing counter trade to the extent possible.

Sources said that Indians will try to put across the point of always being in a very dangerous security environment and other East Asian countries too are worried about Chinese actions in South East Asia because of South China sea issue. And Pakistan is being seen as destabilizing factor in the region and promotion of terrorism so the value of India, Indonesia and Vietnam goes up for America. This has every possibility that US might reconsider sanctions on India.

There are wide ranging sanctions that are already imposed on Russia by Europe, the US and also in the context of UN. Actually last year American Congress passed Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) Bill which was approved by the US President. Later on this year the Congress gave President the discretion that in case if its is security and nation interest of United States of America then he could waive this in specific cases. But after this clarifications were issued on both sides, the US defence secretary was of the view that these are legacy purchases by countries like India, Indonesia and Vietnam etc so their interest needs to be kept in mind as they are good friends of the US also and this is also in the national interest of America to keep them as American partners in Asia Pacific.

But on the other hand officials at Cabinet level were of the view that there is no such decision and it is not possible to make exceptions on any ground. For them national security means national security. But India will have to look for some middle ground.