New Delhi, Oct 4:
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday evening arrived in the national capital. Putin is on a two-day visit in India where he will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi shortly.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was present at the airport to receive the Russian president. It is reported that Putin will be discussing the S-400 air defence missile deal with PM Modi.
Putin is in India to attend the 19th India-Russia summit scheduled to begin on Friday. The summit will conclude with the key signing of agreements, including the multi-billion-dollar S-400 ‘Triumf’ surface-to-air missile system. Putin will stay in India on October 4 and October 5.
Moscow has been negotiating to sell the S-400 long-range surface-to-air missiles to India for months. The signing of the deal for Moscow’s most advanced air defence system will be overseen by Russian president Vladimir Putin. In September, a senior administration official told reporters that purchase of major military system like multi-billion S-400 missile defense system would be considered as a “significant transaction and thus has a potential” for CAATSA sanctions. The official emphasized that the ultimate target of these sanctions was Russia. The CAATSA sanctions in this context are not intended to undermine the defence capabilities of any particular country.
