The Rafale Jets equipped with Scalp missiles and the Russian S-400 Air Defence System have been India’s weapons of choice in both the ongoing war with Pakistan and “Operation Sindoor” which was laucnched in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack which took the lives of 26 Hindu tourists and injured dozens of others. A few years ago, the government of Narendra Modi added them to India’s arsenal while fending off internal and external pressure.
The significance of the S-400 air defence system was once again demonstrated on the intervening night of 8th and 9th May when India effectively stopped an extensive onslaught by the Pakistani army employing drones and other missiles. The Russian S-400 and indigenous Akashteer defence systems successfully repelled every Pakistani strike, preventing any projectiles from hitting their objective. The ammunition was shot in multiple places, including Jaisalmer, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. India’s defence forces even neutralised Pakistan’s one Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft in Punjab province of Pakistan.
When India chose to purchase the S-400 defence system in 2018 through a $5 billion agreement with Russia, the Modi government was faced with significant criticism from the United States. Three years prior, the Western power had declared that it was “discouraging” India from moving forward with procuring S-400s from Russia. The acquisition of the S-400 by India was met with resistance from the earlier administrations of Joe Biden and Donald Trump. There had even been threats of sanctions from the White House under Donald Trump.
However, Modi was aware of the importance of the S-400 in improving our air defences against China and Pakistan. Thus far, three S-400 squadrons have been received and are currently in service, with more expected to follow this year. It is the most advanced long-range air defence weapon in the world, with the ability to track and engage several aircraft targets up to 600 kilometres away. It is known as the “Sudarshan Chakra” inside the Indian Air Force and is capable of detecting, tracking and eliminating a wide range of airborne threats, including ballistic missiles, UAVs and fighter aircrafts.
Intense US pressure and intimidation to discourage India from buying S-400
The United States threatened to impose penalties on India for moving forward with the multi-billion-dollar agreement with Russia under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). Washington argued that Russian weapons may jeopardise defence cooperation between the two nations and lobbied for alternatives like the Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) systems from USA.
President Joe Biden’s nominee for Coordinator for Sanctions Policy told lawmakers in 2022 that the United States is clearly preventing India from moving forward with its purchase of S-400 missile defence systems from Russia. It was further conveyed that Washington will need to carefully consider “important geostrategic considerations” before making a decision on the mounting calls for a presidential CAATSA waiver to New Delhi.
CAATSA is a stringent US legislation enacted in 2017 that empowers the government to impose sanctions on nations acquiring significant defence equipment from Russia. James O’Brien, President Biden’s nominee for the US State Department’s coordinator for sanctions policy, declared, “The administration has made clear that it is discouraging India from proceeding with the acquisitions of Russian equipment, and there are important geostrategic considerations, particularly with (unintelligible) relationship to China. So, I think we have to look at what the balance is.”
The US “told India it is unlikely to get a waiver on its planned acquisition of Russian S-400 air defence systems, raising the risk of sanctions,” reported Reuters. It pointed out that the Biden administration is committed to an even more aggressive approach toward Russia and is “unlikely to change the tough stance adopted by the Trump administration on the S-400 deal.”
A US official indicated that there was “still time for Delhi to reconsider, and that the punitive measures would only kick in if the deal with the Russians was consummated (missiles being delivered).” The report outlined, “Washington has told New Delhi that if India acquires the S-400, it would affect how its systems interact with US military equipment that India now has and would jeopardise future arms transfers such as high-end fighter planes and armed drones.”
However, India did not back down. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) emphasised that India has an autonomous foreign policy and that its national security objectives aim its defence purchases. Officials insisted that no foreign legislation could control India’s defence decisions, particularly in light of constant threats from China and Pakistan. The S-400 was considered essential for protecting Indian airspace because of its exceptional tracking, range and multi-target capabilities.
Foreign ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava asserted, “India and the US have a comprehensive global strategic partnership. India has a special and privileged strategic partnership with Russia.” He added, “India has always pursued an independent foreign policy. This also applies to our defence acquisitions and supplies which are guided by our national security interests.”
The S-400 started to be delivered in late 2021. The Modi government’s diplomacy was able to obtain a waiver from sanctions from the US House of Representatives. India’s contribution to Indo-Pacific stability and its significance in opposing China were cited by multiple members of the US House as justifications for a waiver.
India’s multi-layered air defence network swiftly embraced and integrated the technology. The S-400 was activated and effectively intercepted the incoming projectiles during this week’s escalation, which saw at least 15 Indian cities targeted by Pakistani drones and missiles. The system’s operational value was shown by the fact that no injuries or damage were reported.
Subramanian Swamy’s unwavering opposition to the S-400
Subramanian Swamy, a former Rajya Sabha MP from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was also opposed to purchasing the S-400 from Russia. He issued a warning in December 2019 that the missile system would be “compromised” in a conflict with Pakistan due to the presence of Chinese electronics. The first S-400 missiles were delivered to China in 2018, making it the initial purchaser. He repeated the warning in 2020 as well.
The Namo government would be well advised not to use S400 in a possible battle with China. This is because S400 is made with Chinese electronics. Russia is today a junior partner of China
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) June 12, 2020
The politician maintained that the blunder of the Modi government would be akin to Chamberlain’s certificate to Hitler about Poland, after Britain sacrificed Czechoslovakia in 1938, if India moves forward with the S-400 deal with Russia. He alleged, “India should have asked US to sell the equivalent or superior to S-400 of Russia. But we did not,” and even argued that India “should not use weapons with Chinese technology.”
Modi government blunder will be like Chamberlain’s certificate to Hitler on Poland after Britain sacrificed Czechoslovakia in 1938–if he goes ahead with S-400 purchase from China’s junior partner Russia. Read my book: Himalayan Challenge. For nation’s sake open your ears
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) January 18, 2021
Subramanian Swamy cautioned that India’s “moment of truth” has come in his response to the Reuters article. “The moment of truth has arrived for us Indians. We are being forced to choose and not flirt around on archaic ideas of being friends with everybody,” he wrote on social media.
However, what was once a cause of contention in India-US relations is now a clear indication of India’s strategic independence. What was once a cause of contention in India-US relations is now a clear indication of India’s strategic independence. High-level diplomatic engagement helped India handle the implications, highlighting its dedication to strengthening its relationship with the US while retaining the freedom to diversify its defence capabilities. The Sudarshan Chakra has now transcended procurement politics for India. It is now a functional and tested shield.
Purchase of the Russian air defence system instead of an American system is also significant because of the fact that the American government tightly controls how its systems can be used. Moreover, while Russia has been India’s trusted defence supplier for decades, the USA has proven to be an unreliable supplier of defence equipment. For example, India’s Tejas Mk1A program has been delayed due to a delay in engine supply by GE.
Modi resisted political pressure on the Rafale purchase
In a government-to-government agreement, India bought 36 Rafale fighter jets from France in 2020. This has greatly improved India’s aviation capabilities and afforded it a competitive advantage over Pakistan in the US-made F-16 fighter jet market. According to reports, India targeted Bahawalpur, which is located about 100 kilometres deep into Pakistani territory, using Rafale fighters equipped with Scalp missiles. Moreover, owing to its long-range attack potential, Rafale didn’t even need to cross the border to accomplish this.
However, former French President Francois Hollande’s statement caused a political controversy in India when he claimed that Dassault Aviation had been allegedly forced by the Modi government to collaborate with Reliance Defence of India to comply with its “offset policy.” Foreign companies must contribute at least 30% of a deal’s value back in India, according to the clause in Delhi’s defence procurement regulations.
In 2008, it was added to India’s Defence Procurement Procedure in an effort to increase indigenous production. Dassault committed to investing half of the projected $8.7 billion (£6.6 billion) contract in India to build parts of the jet’s components with billionaire Anil Ambani’s Reliance Defence as part of the 2016 Rafale deal. “It was the Indian government who proposed this [Reliance] service group, and Dassault who negotiated with Ambani. We did not have a choice, we took the interlocutor who was given to us,” he stated.
Subsequently, the Congress party charged Prime Minister Modi with prioritising an Indian company and even engaging in crony capitalism by supporting Anil Ambani’s company. On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) consistently refuted these claims, asserting that the government entered into the agreement to fulfil the combat needs of the Indian Air Force and played no part in selecting the local partner of the French manufacturer.
Rahul Gandhi even called the Rafale acquisition a scam during the 2019 general elections, as part of the Congress party’s massive electoral attack against the Modi government for proceeding with the deal. He was even reprimanded by the Supreme Court for misusing its name and disseminating falsehoods purely for political smear tactics aimed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Rae Bareli Lok Sabha MP coined “chowkidar chor hai”, after which former union minister Minister Meenakshi Lekhi initiated a contempt case against him for misattributing the slogan to the initial ruling of the apex court in the Rafale case. He had expressed an apology at the prior hearing for misquoting the Supreme Court. However, the latter was not persuaded by his prior affidavit and had asked for a written apology.
Notably, the matter was even dragged to the top court by Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, All India Trinamool Congress (AITC/TMC) leader Yashwant Sinha and others, alleging that the Rafale Fighter Jet Deal had significant procedural flaws. The bench, however, rejected the appeal for a court-monitored investigation on 14th December 2018 and noted that there were no anomalies in the price, decision-making procedure or choice of off-set partner.
Afterwards, Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie and Prashant Bhushan filed a review petition contesting the ruling, which the court consented to consider on 21st February 2019. They contended that the government’s incorrect factual assertions form the basis of the decision. The court reserved an order on the review petitions on 14th March 2019, addressing the particular issue of whether or not leaked materials could be added to the record.
It rejected the union government’s defence and ruled on 10th April 2019, that the confidential documents could be added to the record. The court reserved a decision in the review petitions on 10th May. It emphasised that it had limited authority to examine defence contracts under its Article 32 jurisdiction, as it dismissed the review applications on 14th November. The party had even based its campaign on this issue during the 2019 national elections, a tactic that ultimately proved detrimental.
Large sums of money were paid to middlemen in the transaction, according to papers that the Congress claimed supported its accusations of corruption against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his administration in 2021. “The way Rahul Gandhi is behaving, it will not be an exaggeration to say that he is being used as a pawn by competing companies. He has been lying right from the beginning on the issue. Probably, he is acting as an agent or some member of Gandhi family has been for a competing company,” countered present BJP Lok Sabha member Sambit Patra.
Prime Minister Modi’s decision validated
Meanwhile, the Modi administration remained steadfast, citing national security concerns even during the general elections, while the Supreme Court dismissed the legal challenges, removing the legal obstacles for the centre. The aircraft have demonstrated significant utility for India’s offensive capabilities in the recent dispute with the Islamic Republic.
Nearly the whole family of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) founder Mohammad Masood Azhar Alvi alias Masood Azhar, along with the outfit’s headquarters at Bahawalpur was destroyed by Rafale jets in the early hours of 7th May. They were also used to demolish multiple terror bases of terrorist groups, including JeM and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) at nine pivotal locations inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Abdul Rauf Azhar, the de facto leader of Jaish and the most wanted individual, is also among the deceased. He is the brother of Masood Azhar and the orchestrator of the IC-814 hijacking, as well as behind the beheading of American journalist Daniel Pearl. The operation has killed at least 100 terrorists. The exceptional success of India’s anti-terror action is a result of the prowess of Rafale jets.
Notably, India and France have recently finalised a substantial agreement worth ₹63,000 crore for the acquisition of 26 Rafale Marine aircraft for the Indian Navy. The PM Modi-led cabinet committee on security approved the pact earlier this month. The native aircraft carrier INS Vikrant’s deck will be the primary operating location for the planes.
Some armaments, simulators, crew training and five-year performance-based logistics support are all included in the government-to-government contract for the 22 single-seat Rafale-M fighters and four twin-seat trainers. India will pay an initial 15% instalment of the deal’s cost in order to receive the 26 Rafale-M aircraft, which are intended for maritime strike, air defense and reconnaissance missions. The estimated time of delivery is 37 to 65 months.
This clearly illustrates how Prime Minister Narendra Modi endured both internal and external pressures to protect the sovereignty and integrity of the nation. More importantly, his decision has proved beneficial for the nation, especially during these challenging times.
