S-400 SAM for India

https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201807161066404482-us-india-s400/

https://sputniknews.com/military/201809181068133414-india-russia-s400-deal/

Well, India is both demographically and economically heavyweight. India is one of very few countries US cannot spoil relations to. And I am glad Modi is wisely using this as his weapon to gin independence. I see India as one more pole in mulitpolar world.

Look at new talks about 4 new frigates. This si not coincidence they were revealed now amid new "sanctions' packets" for me.

GunshipDemocracy wrote:Well, India is both demographically and economically heavyweight. India is one of very few countries US cannot spoil relations to. And I am glad Modi is wisely using this as his weapon to gin independence. I see India as one more pole in mulitpolar world.

Look at new talks about 4 new frigates. This si not coincidence they were revealed now amid new "sanctions' packets" for me.

Despite having forged closer relationship with US in recent past India is not going to let its strategic relationship with Russia down at any cost, after S 400 and frigates another mega deal of upgradation of 300 plus su30mki is on the cards which is going to be in billions

Pinto wrote:

GunshipDemocracy wrote:Well, India is both demographically and economically heavyweight.  India is one of very few countries US cannot spoil relations to. And I am glad Modi is wisely using this as his weapon to gin independence. I see India as one more pole in mulitpolar world.

Look at new talks about 4 new frigates. This si not coincidence they were revealed now amid new "sanctions'  packets" for me.

Despite having forged closer relationship with US in recent past India is not going to let its strategic relationship with Russia down at any cost, after S 400 and frigates another mega deal of upgradation of 300 plus su30mki is on the cards which is going to be in billions

US is trying impose own uni-polar vision to all states. Russia cannot and IMHO doesn't want to be "exceptional nation". Indian elites see the difference. Thy cannot reject all US requests anyway some of them might be attractive form Indian point of view. But I can see clear resistance against US pressure. Same in Europe where Germany influenced Us not to introduce sanctions against its companies.

As for military technology transfer so far only Russia offered full transfer in case of fighters or choppers. This is definitely in Indian interest. Perhaps also Su-30MKI avionics/engines upgrade will make sense for India?

The CAATSA that imposed sanctions on Iran, North Korea and Russia, has the potential to affect India, as it is planning to buy five S-400 Triumf missile air defence systems from Russia.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2018/sep/21/indias-s-400-deal-likely-to-invite-us-sanctions-says-washington-1875236.html

US is going nuts as India is not Pak which need to buy expensive weapon systems, This deal will go through sanctions or no sanctions

Pinto wrote:
The CAATSA that imposed sanctions on Iran, North Korea and Russia, has the potential to affect India, as it is planning to buy five S-400 Triumf missile air defence systems from Russia.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2018/sep/21/indias-s-400-deal-likely-to-invite-us-sanctions-says-washington-1875236.html

US is going nuts as India is not Pak which need to buy expensive weapon systems, This deal will go through sanctions or no sanctions

I'd say in this case I am a moderate optimist. India elites are smart and they dont think they want tu hurt Indian economy for one side for the other side they are not going to "bark as Us master says so" . This is dangerous on 2 levels: listening ot US is like negotiation with terrorist. They get one immediately add next demand. Second is a slap in the face for an independent nation. Iam sure thy'll balance it.

From the other hand - the more Us pressure on the world the more resistance will Us get back. Both form India and China. US pressure on India might be good signal to make friends or better to find a common interest with China in the way to full independence form anglosaxon terrorists.

US Sanctions: India opening rupee window for Iran oil

Gadkari says payment mechanism in 8-10 days; analysts say imports from Iran this year may be far less than projected.

https://www.financialexpress.com/economy/us-sanctions-india-opening-rupee-window-for-iran-oil/1321024/

The solution is simple and obvious... India should simply make a list of things it wants in its trade relations with the US... things it is not happy about or had problems with, and when the US slaps sanctions on India then India can go to its list and use that against the US.

Things like using generic medicines instead of expensive US ones... or not acknowledging US copyright law... the list would be enormous and it will be useful for India to get benefits this way...

GarryB wrote:The solution is simple and obvious... India should simply make a list of things it wants in its trade relations with the US... things it is not happy about or had problems with, and when the US slaps sanctions on India then India can go to its list and use that against the US.

Things like using generic medicines instead of expensive US ones... or not acknowledging US copyright law... the list would be enormous and it will be useful for India to get benefits this way...

Dont you think India is doing this but in a way not to endanger Indian interests ?

GunshipDemocracy wrote: India elites are smart and they dont think they want tu hurt Indian economy for one side for  the other side they are not going to  "bark as Us master says so"

Not quite sure how smart India's elites are. While India became independent in 1947 till this day the Brits control that country with the help of local collaborators. These collaborators belong to all the political parties, bureaucrats & members of the armed forces.

Britain receives billions of $$ of revenue from India ( and several other former British colonies) through these collaborators each year.

As/when they stop remitting enough capital back to London, Britain can very easily balkanize India.

Case in point - a few years ago an India Supreme Court judge found the British telecom company Vodafone guilty of criminal wrongdoing a handed them a guilty sentence. Vodafone was asked to pay millions of $$ as damages to local consumers. Just 2 weeks after the verdict the judge who delivered the verdict was declared a sex offender by a woman who worked at his law firm. The judge IIRC, is now out on bail.

Just to give you guys an idea the extent to which Britain controls politics in India, even today.

jhelb wrote:

GunshipDemocracy wrote: India elites are smart and they dont think they want tu hurt Indian economy for one side for  the other side they are not going to  "bark as Us master says so"

Not quite sure how smart India's elites are. While India became independent in 1947 till this day the Brits control that country with the help of local collaborators. These collaborators belong to all the political parties, bureaucrats & members of the armed forces.

Britain receives billions of $$ of revenue from India ( and several other former British colonies) through these collaborators each year.

As/when they stop remitting enough capital back to London, Britain can very easily balkanize India.

Case in point - a few years ago an India Supreme Court judge found the British telecom company Vodafone guilty of criminal wrongdoing a handed them a guilty sentence. Vodafone was asked to pay millions of $$ as damages to local consumers. Just 2 weeks after the verdict the judge who delivered the verdict was declared a sex offender by a woman who worked at his law firm. The judge IIRC, is now out on bail.

Just to give you guys an idea the extent to which Britain controls politics in India, even today.

That's why they are selling typhoons to india  !!

Wait ...

Nop they are not. English are hated by all their former colonies. Only those where they managed to genocide all the natives and replace them with their stupid people taken from their jails and send to repopulate the colonies like Australia and USA "like" them.

jhelb wrote:

GunshipDemocracy wrote: India elites are smart and they dont think they want tu hurt Indian economy for one side for  the other side they are not going to  "bark as Us master says so"

Not quite sure how smart India's elites are. While India became independent in 1947 till this day the Brits control that country with the help of local collaborators. These collaborators belong to all the political parties, bureaucrats & members of the armed forces.

Britain receives billions of $$ of revenue from India ( and several other former British colonies) through these collaborators each year.

As/when they stop remitting enough capital back to London, Britain can very easily balkanize India.

Case in point - a few years ago an India Supreme Court judge found the British telecom company Vodafone guilty of criminal wrongdoing a handed them a guilty sentence. Vodafone was asked to pay millions of $$ as damages to local consumers. Just 2 weeks after the verdict the judge who delivered the verdict was declared a sex offender by a woman who worked at his law firm. The judge IIRC, is now out on bail.

Just to give you guys an idea the extent to which Britain controls politics in India, even today.

I assume that the 'collaborators' are those that are running companies in India, companies that have shareholders in England. Otherwise what you say just doesn't make sense.

jhelb wrote:
Not quite sure how smart India's elites are.

Statehood traditions are since Summer civilization times and Indian state still exists so I guess good enough for sure.

Britain receives billions of $$ of revenue from India ( and several other former British colonies) through these collaborators each year.

Not sure what do you mean by this? Russian scenario with oligarchs? There are plenty of Indians , company owners who actually got rich by selling serices/good to US/UK.

As/when they stop remitting enough capital back to London, Britain can very easily balkanize India.

Same as they did to China and Russia?

Just to give you guys an idea the extent to which Britain controls politics in India, even today.

same as they did till very recently in Russia. Only India is perhaps on a bit earlier stage of removing V column

Isos wrote: That's why they are selling typhoons to india  !!

Wait ...

Nop they are not. English are hated by all their former colonies.

Because by selling Typhoons Britain benefits. That's what Britain wants. That colonies like India purchase everything from Britain.

I'm not sure in which former colonies Britain is hated. And even if they are by the commons of those countries. How does it matter ? It is the elites who run the country. And these elites are completely controlled by British Intelligence.

JohninMK wrote: I assume that the 'collaborators' are those that are running companies in India, companies that have shareholders in England. Otherwise what you say just doesn't make sense.

Quite a few of them. In fact Elites in India ( businessmen, bureaucrats, politicians, military) are all controlled by British Intelligence. Britain has nothing to lose if these people do business in Britain or parks their money in banks across London. That's what they do. The moment they stop the UK Govt. will terminate them

GunshipDemocracy wrote: Russian scenario with oligarchs? There are plenty of  Indians , company owners who actually got rich by selling serices/good to US/UK.

Yes, an Indian version of Oligarchs. Just that they are far more powerful. For instance in Russia oligarchs don't control the Kremlin or the military or the justice system. There are a few who are friendly to Putin, but they don't control the Russian Government. In India these "oligarchs" control the entire system ( government, military, courts).

GunshipDemocracy wrote: Same as they did to China and Russia?

Russia & China are powerful countries. The revolution in these countries were led by the commons & so they completely removed any foreign elements. Ergo, the political system in these countries are controlled completely by locals or local leaders. Putin & Xi are NOT controlled by some foreign power.

In India, they nominally won independence in 1947. But the system they replicated was exactly the system that the Brits used to run the country. So it became very easy for Britain to infiltrate every aspect of society using local collaborators.

Russia, China suffered far more during WW 2 than India & yet 75 years later look how far these 2 countries have come. Indian on the other hand remains backward, third world because Britain ensures from time to time that India remains bogged down economically & socially. Two former Indian Prime Ministers who refused to obey Britain's orders were assassinated.

Isos wrote:

jhelb wrote:

GunshipDemocracy wrote: India elites are smart and they dont think they want tu hurt Indian economy for one side for  the other side they are not going to  "bark as Us master says so"

Not quite sure how smart India's elites are. While India became independent in 1947 till this day the Brits control that country with the help of local collaborators. These collaborators belong to all the political parties, bureaucrats & members of the armed forces.

Britain receives billions of $$ of revenue from India ( and several other former British colonies) through these collaborators each year.

As/when they stop remitting enough capital back to London, Britain can very easily balkanize India.

Case in point - a few years ago an India Supreme Court judge found the British telecom company Vodafone guilty of criminal wrongdoing a handed them a guilty sentence. Vodafone was asked to pay millions of $$ as damages to local consumers. Just 2 weeks after the verdict the judge who delivered the verdict was declared a sex offender by a woman who worked at his law firm. The judge IIRC, is now out on bail.

Just to give you guys an idea the extent to which Britain controls politics in India, even today.

That's why they are selling typhoons to india  !!

Wait ...

Nop they are not. English are hated by all their former colonies. Only those where they managed to genocide all the natives and replace them with their stupid people taken from their jails and send to repopulate the colonies like Australia and USA "like" them.

ISOS

Since I am very familiar with India thanks to business and personal, and my many many trips there, I can say I'm somewhat versed in this topic.

India is very split country. And on top of that, poorly educated in anything outside of Math and language studies. You can obtain great education but you must pay for that and not many can afford it.

Now to add, the influence of the colonizers is still huge in India. Just go there and see for yourself. Maybe I still have photos I taken but there are huge signs everywhere for "learn English so you can go to school/work in: UK, Canada, US, Australia, New Zealand, etc" and it's rather sad. All these new private "schools" are owned by expats or NRI (Non Resident Indian). Most to all of them live in UK or US that funds these schools.

So there are a ton, especially among the Sikh and Hindu community that just love the British. Why? Cause, the rich and "royalty" families ran off to UK after partition of 47. They have homes in UK. Many of them are in UK politics. Guess what? Many of their family members are in Indian politics.

There is a really bad case of Stockholm syndrome that plagues India. And I will never forget my answer to a friend in Haridwar if India will ever be a superpower - "not as long as you still suck up to England and US, you won't be".

miketheterrible wrote:"learn English so you can go to school/work in: UK, Canada, US, Australia, New Zealand, etc" and it's rather sad. All these new private "schools" are owned by expats or NRI (Non Resident Indian). Most to all of them live in UK or US that funds these schools.

Nothing wrong in learning English. There are English language training institutes across Europe. I too learnt English back home in Minsk & Russians who speak English are far more fluent than any individual from India. Even Russian universities offer course in English for foreign students.

On the contrary most native English speakers in US & UK fail to understand the thick Indian English accent.

miketheterrible wrote: if India will ever be a superpower - "not as long as you still suck up to England and US, you won't be".

It is not about sucking up. UK maintains a stranglehold over Indian politics. Ordinary Indians are controlled by their politicians & bureaucrats. They can't do anything to get out of this strangle hold.

Right now from a UK perspective the time is not right to balkanize India. The Cost-to-Benefit ratio is such that if India splits right now UK will suffer losses because they will lose control over the cronies who they created in 1947 across India.

That said UK can & possibly will break up India within the next 15- 20 years or so.

India is finally all set to ink the $5.43 billion (over Rs 39,000 crore) deal for five advanced S-400 Triumf missile systems from Russia, brushing aside the threat of US financial sanctions that were last week imposed on China for buying the same air defence system.

Government sources said the Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by PM Narendra Modi, cleared the mega “game-changing acquisition” on Wednesday, ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India early next month.

There was, however, no official word from the government. The S-400 systems can detect, track and destroy hostile strategic bombers, stealth fighters, spy planes, missiles and drones at a maximum range of almost 400-km and altitude of 30-km.

Sources said India will have to pay only 15% of the total amount on inking of the final contract, with the rest being linked to deliveries. IAF is slated to get the first S-400 missile squadron, with its command posts, launchers, all-terrain transporter-erector-launcher vehicles, acquisition and engagement radars, around 24 months after the contract is inked.

All five squadrons, with two firing units each, will come in 54-60 months. The highly-mobile and automated S-400 systems, which can track 100 to 300 targets simultaneously, can be used to protect cities during war or vital installations like nuclear power plants.

The US last Thursday imposed sanctions on the Chinese military for acquiring S-400 systems and Sukhoi-35 fighter jets from Russia under its new law called CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act), which seeks to deter countries from buying Russian weapons or Iranian oil. China began to induct six S-400 batteries, which is designated the `SA-21 Growler’ by NATO, earlier this year under a $3 billion deal inked in 2014.

India remains hopeful of securing a waiver from the US for its proposed acquisition of the five S-400 systems, four Grigorivich-class stealth frigates and 200 Kamov-226T light helicopters as well as the lease of a second nuclear submarine from Russia.

These four mega projects between India and Russia, together worth around $12 billion, are now close to being inked after years of negotiations and inter-governmental agreements, much before CAATSA came into force in August 2017.

“The US sanctions kick in when a significant transaction is actually completed. Negotiations are underway for a way around it,” said a source. Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman, incidentally, had earlier dismissed CAATSA as “a US law and not a UN law”.

Both US defence secretary Jim Mattis and secretary of state Mike Pompeo, who were here for the inaugural two-plus-two dialogue on September 6, have also strongly pushed India’s case to get “national security waivers” from CAATSA. Pompeo, in fact, said Washington’s intention was “not to penalize great strategic partners like India.”

TOI was the first to report in October 2015 that India had kicked off plans to acquire the S-400 missile systems. Subsequently, the inter-governmental agreement for the five S-400 systems was inked during the Modi-Putin summit at Goa in October 2016.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/65972911.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

jhelb wrote: I too learnt English back home in Minsk & Russians who speak English are far more fluent than any individual from India.

ehkm not sure what kind of people did you meet in your path but technically your opinion is based on negligible sample of population from both sides as you could not meet millions of speakers. India has 1,3 billiosn population and Russia alone 150mlns.

native English speakers in US & UK fail to understand the thick Indian English accent.

Did you ever listen to cockney or low life native from Liverpool?   Personally I've even tried to chat in pub in Edinborough once      


I you dotn get what Im talking about this is a good comparison of accents.      

It is not about sucking up. UK maintains a stranglehold over Indian politics. Ordinary Indians are controlled by their politicians & bureaucrats. They can't do anything to get out of this strangle hold.

Balkans were economically, demographically and military weak. They had no thousands of years statehood traditions.

Why UK cannot balkanize Russia? most of rich have money there. But magically it aint happening. Never wondered why? India is way to strong and its getting stronger every day.

That said UK can & possibly will break up India within the next 15- 20 years or so.  

first UK must exist till this time. In 20 years India will be no 2 economy. UK on 10 th or 15th place at best

Pinto wrote:India is finally all set to ink the $5.43 billion (over Rs 39,000 crore) deal for five advanced S-400 Triumf missile systems from Russia, brushing aside the threat of US financial sanctions that were last week imposed on China for buying the same air defence system.

Government sources said the Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by PM Narendra Modi, cleared the mega “game-changing acquisition” on Wednesday, ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India early next month.

There was, however, no official word from the government. The S-400 systems can detect, track and destroy hostile strategic bombers, stealth fighters, spy planes, missiles and drones

Good news but damn it! Now its getting really interesting! Russia and China are already in conflict with the US . Now what US can do? pretend nothing happen. PR blow.

Sets sanctions against Indian government? This decision was announced after considering all options. I dont think now is it abut S-400 anymore. Now it is about challenging US world order...

Washington’s intention was “not to penalize great strategic partners like India.”

No, its intention is to attack Indias strategic BRICS partner Russia...

What India really needs to do is to buy the critical C4IR equipment to create a real IADS that ties all their SAMs systems together to make them much more effective...

Wont be cheap, but it will be money well spent...

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-27/russia-is-said-to-plan-air-defense-deal-with-india-next-week

Russia is expected to sign a deal to supply advanced S-400 surface-to-air missile systems to India next week during President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi, a Russian official said.

The threat of U.S. sanctions against buyers of Russian weapons -- imposed most recently on China -- won’t affect the deal, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss plans that aren’t yet public. The contract covers 10 batteries, worth a total of $6.2 billion, Russia’s RBC newspaper reported earlier this year.

A separate deal to supply four frigates to India, may also be signed during Putin’s visit on Oct. 4-5, the official said.

“India is not risking anything with this deal,” says Igor Korotchenko, head of the Moscow-based Centre for Analysis of World Arms Trade. “The U.S. won’t impose sanctions on them because they don’t want the Indians to refuse to purchase American weapons in the future.”

Lieutenant Colonel David Eastburn, a U.S. Defense Department spokesman, said a waiver from the sanctions law “is ultimately a presidential authority and any decision to provide a waiver to India will be determined by the president.” He added that Defense Secretary Jim Mattis “continues to place great value on our growing strategic partnership with India.”

The S-400 missile system has been in service since 2007 and is a popular Russian export weapon. It can shoot down aircraft and missiles at a range of 400 kilometers (about 250 miles). Turkey also is planning to buy the S-400 despite U.S. opposition to the purchase by a fellow NATO member.

— With assistance by Anthony Capaccio

(Updates with Pentagon comment in fifth paragraph.)

https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2018/09/27/Why-is-India-eyeing-Putin-S-400.html



Russian President Vladimir Putin is arriving in India next week, and all eyes are on the S-400 air defence system. Putin is expected to hardsell it, and that is going to be like preaching to the converted. India wants it badly, but is still looking over the shoulder to see how the US would react.

The signs from Washington aren't good. The Donald Trump administration slapped sanctions on China only a week ago for buying S-400. Now Saudi Arabia, an old ally of the US, is worried. The Saudis too would like to get the missile, but are worried about what the US would think. “I hope nobody will impose any sanctions on us,” Saudi Ambassador to Russia, Raid bin Khalid Krimli, told journalists in Moscow. There are others too eyeing the missile system—NATO member Turkey, Egypt and Qatar. All of them want the air defence system, but are worried that the US would slap sanctions under the notorious CAATSA (Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act) provisions.

But India is hopeful. “Negotiations on S-400 had happened over several years,” Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told THE WEEK correspondents in an exclusive interview is available in the latest issue of THE WEEK, dated October 7. “It has reached a stage where it can be concluded. We have expressed [to the US] the reality about Indian legacy particularly on army and air force equipment from Russia.”

Sitharaman's hopes are pinned on her counterpart, US Secretary of Defence James Mattis, who she had met early this month along with her colleague Sushma Swaraj in the two-plus-two dialogue. She thinks Mattis has understood India's dependence on Russia. “There is an understanding in the American mind. I have seen [the] defence secretary himself talk about it, that India has a legacy and, therefore, there is a need for certain waivers.”

Clearly, S-400 Triumf has become the most sought-after missile defence system today, as was the US's Patriot in the 1990s when George Bush Senior hardsold it as the best defence against Saddam Hussein's improvised Scuds. The Russians are deploying the system, which reputedly can shoot down anything that flies at a range of 400 kilometres, to impress friends and awe the rivals. India is eyeing at least five of them at a price of about Rs 39,000 crore.

The S-400, now increasingly being described as a game-changer in air defence, is an integrated, highly-mobile system of radars and missiles of different ranges to address multiple threats. Its biggest attraction is that it can spot and acquire 300 targets—both enemy aircraft and ballistic and cruise missiles—from 600 km.

India is eyeing the beauty for a marriage proposal—with the DRDO-developed, Prithvi-based missile defence system. India has been developing a robust integrated air defenced system. “Keeping in mind the indigenous technical prowess of the DRDO, the question of indigenous system versus ex-import was decided in favour of the former,” said V.K. Saraswat, former head of DRDO and father of the ballistic missile defence programme, while launching Lt.-Gen. V.K. Saxena's book Ground-Based Air Defence in India (Pentagon Press) on Thursday at the triservice United Service Institution. Codenamed Progamme AD, the defence system comprising several types of radars, command-control network and missiles is likely to be deployed around major cities and other strategic assets that the enemy is likely to target. This system “will find a connect with the S400 system...,” said Saraswat. “Besides air defence, S-400 is also an anti-missile system and will therefore complement the indigenous capability as contained in Programme AD.... The fire units of Programme AD system and S-400 system could be deployed complementing each other.”

In fact, a lot of brainstorming is currently going on in the strategic think tank circles about the air defence challenges that India faces. The fact that Saxena could gather three directors-general of the Army's air defence corps at his book launch, including the incumbent Lt.-Gen. A.P. Singh, in addition to Saraswat, itself is indicative of the seriousness with which the issue is being addressed.

“Keeping in mind the net ballistic missile threat in our neighbourhood..., the case for BMD (ballistic missile defence) for India cannot be overemphasised,” said Gen. Saxena. “The need of the hour is to move forward expeditiously towards realisation of Progamme AD systems as deployable firing units under the Strategic Forces Command.” According to him, both the S-400 and Progamme AD will have to have an integrated command and control and battle management system which will integrate multifarious sensors and shooters of air defence and anti-missiles system into one seamless loop.

GunshipDemocracy wrote: Why UK cannot  balkanize Russia?  most of rich have money there. But magically it aint happening. Never wondered why?

You can't balkanize a country simply because the rich & corrupt of those countries have stashed their money in another country. However, if you have enough "sleeper cells" in a country who are controlling the politics & business of that country with the help of some sold out locals who are elites then you can certainly split open any country.

GunshipDemocracy wrote:first UK must exist till this time. In 20 years India will be no 2 economy. UK on 10 th or 15th place at best

Even if that happens, India will still be a dirt poor country. It is also one of those countries that has a huge difference among the haves & the have nots when it comes to wealth distribution. It hasn't made as much progress as China or Japan & certainly not post World War 2 USSR.

For instance initially they wanted to purchase 12 regiments of S-400. But now they are settling for just 5 regiments because they just don't have the money.

India is at least 50 years behind the US. There is every possibility that it will fall apart because of socio-economic reasons.Plus they have powerful enemies - China & Middle East. If China and/or Pakistan backed by Mid East declares war on India, India will be defeated within a fortnight.

RTN wrote:

GunshipDemocracy wrote: Why UK cannot  balkanize Russia?  most of rich have money there. But magically it aint happening. Never wondered why?

You can't balkanize a country simply because the rich & corrupt of those countries have stashed their money in another country. However, if you have enough "sleeper cells" in a country who are controlling the politics & business of that country with the help of some sold out locals who are elites then you can certainly split open any country.

True, USA inclusive. This is like your body is continuously attacked by viruses and bacteria yet you are healthy. When you get less immune or weaker you start get fever and eventually death is defenses are too weak. USA has been trying to balkanize Russia from very beginning of it's existence. Yet no success. China surely last 30 30 years or so. Damn again fail. But with 404 success! True that on top of 20 billions $ Ms. Nuland had to buy a bag of cookies.

India is at least 50 years behind the US. There is every possibility that it will fall apart because of socio-economic reasons.Plus they have powerful enemies - China & Middle East. If China and/or Pakistan backed by Mid East declares war on India, India will be defeated within a fortnight.

First pf all here the most important here is not number of S-400. That they loud an dclearly say:  fuck you  CAATSA. This is geopolitical storm. New "anti exclusivity" front was just opened.      

Second Im  not sure why do you think that current geopolitical order will stay for next 10-15 years? I seriously doub. True that $ is now the world's reserve and oil currency. Let it change by half and US has drastically raise interest rates. And Russia/Iran wont soon trade oil gas for $. China has been working on parallel financial order for last 30 years. It is almost ready.  

Once $ will loose it scurrent  significance US will have to stop living beyond their  means. This translates into massive crisis, poverty and civil unrest. You cannot sustain 71 trillions $ debt having yearly deficit 6 trillion $ when nobody giver you money for free.

IMHO India might not everybody make rich but still there will be a significant progress.  Tt might be not 50 years but soon 10 years after geopolitical terraforming. It is just how I see things. I am not fan of US sick warmongers and financial oligarchs but also have nothing against regular Americans and I dont wish them  them any harm.

Pinto wrote:
Lieutenant Colonel David Eastburn, a U.S. Defense Department spokesman, said a waiver from the sanctions law “is ultimately a presidential authority and any decision to provide a waiver to India will be determined by the president.” He added that Defense Secretary Jim Mattis “continues to place great value on our growing strategic partnership with India.”

The S-400 missile system has been in service since 2007 and is a popular Russian export weapon. It can shoot down aircraft and missiles at a range of 400 kilometers (about 250 miles). Turkey also is planning to buy the S-400 despite U.S. opposition to the purchase by a fellow NATO member.

— With assistance by Anthony Capaccio

(Updates with Pentagon comment in fifth paragraph.)

Bravo India! you've just won face off with world's biggest bully!