India's S-400 missile defence system deal with Russia doesn't have a "sovereign guarantee" as the process of inter-government agreements with countries like Russia and the US are already "streamlined", top IAF officers said on Tuesday.
The statement comes at a time when a political controversy has erupted over a media report about Indian government having made concessions by allegedly dropping some key clauses relating to anti-corruption penalties and sovereign guarantee in the controversy-hit Rafale fighter jet deal with France.
While opposition parties have raised questions about such clauses having been dropped, the ruling BJP and the government have rejected corruption allegations.
Replying to a question here during a press interaction on the IAF's fire power demonstration Vayu Shakti 2019 at Phokran ranges later this week, Air Marshal V R Chaudhari, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, said, "There is no sovereign guarantee in the S-400 deal with Russia."
IAF's Vice Chief Air Marshal Anil Khosla said, "We have had a lot of acquisitions from Russians and Americans earlier."
Russia in January had said there will be no delays in delivery of the S-400 air defence systems to India and a payment mechanism for the deal is being worked out
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