S-400 is Russia's most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile defence system (File)
India said today that its decision to purchase the advanced S-400 missile defence system from Russia did not figure during the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, though they discussed ways to step up the bilateral military cooperation.
The S-400 is known as Russia's most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile defence system. China was the first foreign buyer to seal a government-to-government deal with Russia in 2014 for the system.
India and Russia signed a USD 5 billion S-400 air defence system deal in October last year.
PM Modi, who is in Osaka, Japan for the G20 Summit, met Donald Trump shortly after the Japan-America-India trilateral meeting during which he highlighted "the importance India attaches to" the grouping.
This was Prime Minister Modi's first meeting with President Trump after the BJP's landslide victory in the 2019 parliamentary election.
The meeting assumes significance as Donald Trump, championing his 'America First' policy, has been a vocal critic of India for levying "tremendously high" duties on US products, even as the US removed India's preferred trade status and imposed tariffs of their own.
Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said that India purchasing S-400 missile defence system from Russia did not come up during the talks between the two leaders.
"This was a very open and productive meeting. The two leaders had a very warm discussion. President Trump congratulated Prime Minister Modi on his victory and Prime Minister in particular noted that President Trump had sent a very warm letter to him through Secretary of State (Mike) Pompeo," he said.
Four Issues were taken up during the bilateral meeting. The issues were related to Iran, 5G, trade, and defence relations, Mr Gokhale said.
"As far as Iran was concerned, the prime minister outlined our energy concerns as well as concerns regarding peace and stability in the region," Mr Gokhale said.
"The prime minister pointed out that although Iran supplies 11 per cent of India's energy, India has reduced oil imports from Iran... despite this affecting the Indian economy, we have been able to sustain this position and we also had our diaspora in the region, we have energy requirements in the region, we have economic interest in the region, therefore it is in India's fundamental interest to maintain peace and stability in the region," he said.
Prime Minister Modi also recalled that India has deployed some of the Indian Navy ships in the region to protect the Indian flagged vessels passing through the Persian Gulf, Mr Gokhale said.
The US President expressed his hope that the oil prices will remain stable, he talked about what the US was doing to ensure that stability is maintained in the Gulf that oil prices were stable, the foreign secretary said, adding that both sides also agreed that they will remain in touch on the issue of Iran and how to ensure regional peace and stability.
The US in the past has warned that New Delhi's deal to procure the lethal missile system from Moscow will have "serious implications" on India-US defence ties.