No pressure on India to buy F-16 fighter jets from US: Envoy

October 28, 2018 19:11

The United States is not going to put pressure on India to buy F-16 fighter jets or any other defence system, a senior US diplomat has said in Mumbai.

United States Consul General in Mumbai Edgard Kagan said India has purchased more than USD 15 billion worth of American defence materials and the US is "very proud" of the expanding defence ties between the two countries.

Asked if there was a threat of the US imposing trade sanctions on India after its multi-billion deal with Russia for the S-400 air-defence system, he did not give a direct answer.

"The idea that the US is going to pressure India to buy the F-16 or any other system is not true. We believe that American military systems bring tremendous capability to India or any other country which buys that.

"But we recognise that India makes its decisions on its own grounds," he said.

Kagan said it was important to recognise that decisions have consequences and India was very well aware where the US stands on a variety of issues.There are also matters that both countries can work closely to resolve, he said.

India recently concluded a USD 5 billion deal to buy the S-400 air defence missile system from Russia which could attract US sanctions under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act or CAATSA instituted by the US Congress on arms purchases from Moscow.

American lawmakers, however, have allowed the possibility of a presidential waiver.

Kagan said the US is "very proud" of the expanding defence partnership with India.

"The fact is that India has purchased over USD 15 billion worth of American defence materials and there hasn't been one hint of a scandal.

"There hasn't been one suggestion of any impropriety and that's very significant.The American defence procurement are transparent... All details are published on the US site," he said.

This gives certainty to the people buying American products, the US consul general said. -- PTI

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