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US says “Deteriorating Situation of Democracy” in India or Is It About Weapons Business?

  • The S-400 missile system uses four new missile types in addition to the missiles of the S-300PMU system. The first missile inducted for the system was the 48N6DM (48N6E3). It is an improved variant of the 48N6M with a powerful propulsion system. The missile can destroy airborne targets within the range of 250km.
Features and Specialty of S400 Missile
  • The 40N6 missile of the S-400 has a claimed range of 400km and uses active radar homing to intercept air targets at great distances. It can be launched against AWACS, J-STARS, EA-6B support jammers and other high-value targets.
  • The S-400 Triumph also launches 9M96E and 9M96E2 medium range ground-to-air missiles. Designed for direct impact, the missiles can strike fast moving targets such as fighter aircraft with a high hit probability. The maximum range of the 9M96 missile is 120km.
  • The 55K6E command and control system of the S-400 Triumph is based on the Ural-532301 mobile command post vehicle. The command post is equipped with LCD consoles to process the air space surveillance data of the individual batteries. It controls and monitors long-range surveillance radar, tracks airborne threats, prioritises the threats, and coordinates other batteries.
US says “Deteriorating Situation of Democracy” in India or Is It About Weapons Business?
  • The system is also capable of exchanging data with other defence systems such as SA-12, SA-23, and S-300.
  • The fire control and target tracking radar of the S-400 is the 92N6E (Nato Codename: Gravestone). The radar is based on the MZKT-7930 8×8 vehicle. The 96L6 Cheese Board 3D surveillance and tracking radar is optionally carried by the same vehicle when the S-400 battery is deployed autonomously.
  • The 91N6E Big Bird acquisition and battle management radar of the S-400 is based on the 8×8 trailer. The radar can detect and track aircraft, rotorcraft, cruise missiles, guided missiles, drones and ballistic rockets within the distance of 600km. It can simultaneously track up to 300 targets.
  • The SP85TE2 launchers are based on the BAZ-64022 6×6 tractor truck or MAZ-79100 series Transporter-Erector-Launcher (TEL) vehicle. The TEL vehicle can carry up to four launch tubes holding a mix of missiles.

All in all, the S-400 Triumph air defence system integrates a multifunction radar, autonomous detection and targeting systems, anti-aircraft missile systems, launchers, and command and control centre. It is capable of firing three types of missiles to create a layered defence.

‘Discuss issues of human rights in India’

While democracy and human rights issues do not come under the domain of the Pentagon, Menendez urged Austin to raise these concerns with Indian leaders.

The Indian government’s ongoing crackdown on farmers peacefully protesting new farming laws and corresponding intimidation of journalists and government critics only underscores the deteriorating situation of democracy in India. Moreover, in recent years, rising anti-Muslim sentiment and related government actions like the Citizenship Amendment Act, the suppression of political dialogue and arrest of political opponents following the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir, and the use of sedition laws to persecute political opponents have resulted in the US human rights group Freedom House stripping India of its ‘Free’ status in its yearly global survey. We should seek to partner with India to address challenges from China to climate change, but in doing so we cannot let our democratic values fall away. I urge you to raise the importance of democracy and human rights in your meetings with Indian officials to make clear that respect for democratic values is necessary for strong, sustainable US-India relations,” Menendez said in the letter.

The Digpu News Bottomline

The United States of America and Russia are the two largest manufacturers of military equipment and weapons in the world. Since 2002, India has procured military equipment from the United States to the tune of about 20 billion in USD and more purchases of about $5-6 are currently under negotiation.

While earlier this month, Freedom House downgraded India’s status from “Free” to “Partly Free”, it remains to be seen whether the US is actually concerned about Democracy or is it simply the weapons manufacturing market of the country saying that it cannot let one of its loyal customers drift away to its biggest competitor.

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