New Delhi: Donald Trump is annoyed with India because India is buying crude oil and weapons from Russia at a cheaper price and without any preconditions.
Whereas America vetoed and stopped Israel from selling weapons to India. India started facing the dangers of a two-front war in the 1990s and 2000s. After the Kargil war, the threat from Pakistan was constant, and China also started construction on the border with Tibet. In such a situation, India needed advanced weapons.
Israel’s advanced Arrow-2 missile defence system
After the Kargil war, Pakistan started manufacturing ballistic missiles with the help of China. Its short and medium-range ballistic missiles were a direct threat to India. In such a situation, India urgently needed an advanced-level air defence system. By that time, Israel had developed the advanced Arrow-2 missile defence system with the help of America. India wanted to purchase the Arrow-2 defence system from Israel.
How did America stop Israel from selling Arrow-2?
Arrow-2 was one of the most advanced air defence systems in the world at that time. It could shoot down short and medium-range ballistic missiles at a range of up to 300 km. It was going to prove to be a perfect air defence system for India. India had talked to Israel to buy this air defence system, and Israel also wanted to sell it to India, but America vetoed it and stopped Israel from entering into a defence agreement with India.
Since Israel had developed it in collaboration with America, this deal was not possible without America’s approval. The US had argued behind blocking the Arrow-2 deal that India is not a member of the Missile Technology Control Region (MTCR) and the export of such weapons would promote regional instability, while, on the other hand, Pakistan was continuously building ballistic missiles with the help of China.
How the denial led India to self-reliance
In 2002, the US finally officially blocked this deal. This decision of the US was a big setback for India. But the US decision gave India the message that it cannot rely on foreign weapons. After this, India took immediate steps and activated the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and it was followed by the Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme (BMD).
The BMD programme was designed for several phases. In its first phase, Prithvi Air Defence and Advanced Air Defence missile interceptors were developed. India started focusing completely on developing its defence technology.
India developed its own interceptors
India surprised America by achieving tremendous success in the first phase. After this, India started Phase 2. After 2016, DRDO started developing Air Defence-1 and Air Defence-2 interceptors to intercept intermediate-range ballistic missiles and hypersonic weapons. Air Defence-1 was successfully tested in November 2022, which is capable of intercepting missiles up to 5000 kilometres, while Air Defence-2 can hit targets at a range of 3000-5500 km. This stage ensured the protection of major cities and strategic sites from missile attacks through a double-layer shield and hit-to-kill technology. In this way, India gradually built a completely indigenous missile defence structure.
Now, in the third phase, the focus is on building the Sudarshan Chakra Sky Shield.
US does not want India to buy weapons from Russia
India wanted to purchase the Falcon Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) from America at that time. But America refused, putting forward the excuse that if these weapons were sold to India, regional peace would be threatened. In a way, by refusing weapons to India, America was helping Pakistan. Later, India turned to Russia for the upgraded weapons, but again, America is interfering and coercing India not to buy Russian weapons. This is only exposing America’s double standards.
HIGHLIGHTS
- How USA wants to sabotage India’s import of latest weapons from Israel and Russia.
- Donald Trump is annoyed with India because India is buying crude oil and weapons from Russia at a cheaper price.
- After the Kargil war, Pakistan started manufacturing ballistic missiles with the help of China.
- Arrow-2 was one of the most advanced air defence systems in the world at that time.