India Needs Assistance Finding Alternatives To Russian Military Equipment

Washington
Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Victoria Nuland has informed lawmakers that one of the jobs we have to do is to assist India in finding alternatives to Russian military hardware before she travels there for foreign office meetings. Between January 28 and February 3, Nuland will visit India as part of a four-nation tour that will also take her to Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Qatar.
During a congressional hearing on Russia, Nuland said, I think they (India) find themselves in the position after 60 years of entanglement needing to identify alternatives, and that’s part of the work we have to do, is provide them with options. I’m pleased to know you’re visiting India. Merkley speculated that they could be less interested once the effectiveness of Russian weapons on the battlefield has been proven.
Republicans and Democrats in the US Congress have criticized India for its decision to abstain from a UN vote against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Concern over India’s procurement of the Russian S-400 missile systems has also been voiced by US authorities.
Look at how these weapons work on the battlefield, was one of the first things we mentioned on my most recent trip to India, Nuland replied.
Since it began trading at a discount as the West avoided it as retaliation for Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, India’s thirst for Russian oil has grown. The Indian government has fiercely defended its oil trade with Russia, asserting that it must purchase oil from the region where it is most affordable.
According to data from energy cargo tracker Vortexa, Russia surpassed longtime suppliers Iraq and Saudi Arabia to continue to be India’s top oil supplier in November. Russia provided 9,09,403 barrels per day of crude oil to India in November, accounting for just 0.2% of India’s total oil imports in the year ending March 31, 2022.