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Following the commencement of the 19th annual India-Russia bilateral summit, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin was welcomed by Narendra Modi in New Delhi on 4th of October. The President accompanied by a high level delegation was received by External Affairs Minister of India Sushma Swaraj. The summit saw the signing of 8 major pacts in areas ranging from defence, nuclear energy, space and economy between India and Russia. The breadth of agreements, including the S-400 deal, during Mr. Putin's visit is seen as a reiteration of India's desire for "strategic autonomy" that was highlighted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a speech this year. It comes a month after the conclusion of 2+2 Dialogue with the US.
The S400 is a defence air missile system which is known to be the world's most dangerous operationally deployed modern long-range surface-to-air missile system, and is considered much more effective than the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence system developed by the US. This comes in the wake of a similar deal between Beijing and Moscow, the first consignment for which was delivered in April. The implications for this development remains limited for India due to the range of the missile.
The deal has garnered attention of the international community due to the consequences it can have on Indo-US relations. The Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) which came into effect in 2017 restricts defence purchases from Russia, Iran and North Korea by US allies.
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement is based on the North American Free Trade Agreement which originally came into effect on January 1st 1994. The renegotiations over NAFTA directed by the Trump Administration led to construction of a new deal which will implement moderate modifications or 'modernize the old agreement' in words of President Trump. The strong exhibition of tariff threats by the Trump administration has compelled Mexico and Canada to rework and renegotiate. This will work in favor of the 'America First' political rhetoric, as certified by President Trump.
Canadian and Mexican markets are pivotal for American manufacturers, including farmers and small scale industrialists. Also, the status of economy of Canada and Mexico is relied on free flowing of goods and services across the border into US. Thus, adoption of a comprehensive free trade agreement, stronger than NAFTA, is a prerequisite for the economic growth of the region
The New Agreement's provisions have taken a concave direction which supports President Trump's isolationism in such a way that the US economy creates more jobs and increases its exports against the backdrop of growing challenges from Asian adversaries. The outcome of renegotiations and reframing the old deal would be determined if the parliaments of three countries ratify the deal. Only time will tell us whether Canada and Mexico align themselves to Trump's vision of 'free trade' in North America.
Image Source: Indian Express, AlJazeera