New Delhi: While crushing Russian attacks are continuing in Ukraine, QUAD meeting has begun among India, Japan, Australia and the United States. All the four-country heads are attending the meeting. India has maintained its stand of not going against Russia by remaining neutral on the Ukraine issue. The US President is displeased with this and this displeasure is likely to reflect during the QUAD meeting. Meanwhile, the US State Department also made a suggestive statement that President Biden will soon decide whether to impose sanctions against India under the US laws to purchase the S-400 air defence system from Russia.
There are indications that the US President will try to corner India during the QUAD meeting raising the Ukraine issue. Japan and Australia, the other members of QUAD, have denounced the Russian attack and have imposed harsh sanctions against Russia. But India has avoided opposing its traditional friend Russia. India avoided voting against Russia in the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly. This Indian neutral stand is seemingly unacceptable to the United States.
Donald Lu, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, announced that his country would be making efforts to make India take a clear stand on the Ukraine issue. Lu informed that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has started efforts in that direction. US President Joe Biden and senior officials from the Department of State have opened a dialogue with India on the subject. In a way, Lu confessed that the Biden administration used every possible tactic to pressurise India to take a stand against Russia.
Lu reminded that sanctions could be imposed against India under the provisions of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) which provides imposition of sanctions against a country purchasing weapon systems from Russia and other US adversaries. Despite the warning from the US administration, India purchased the S-400 defence system from Russia. Therefore, India falls within the purview of the provisions in CAATSA. 
Lu said that President Biden would decide whether to impose sanctions against India. While issuing this threat, Lu claimed that India is a vital United States’ defence-related partner.
The Russian attack on Ukraine is being criticised from around the globe. Lu added that India would distance itself from Russia, taking cognisance of this criticism. Meanwhile, the statements made by Lu expose that the United States is issuing a warning to India with just hours to go for the QUAD meeting. The Biden administration is fully aware that India will not jeopardise its friendship with Russia under any circumstances. But, the Biden administration can pressure India and say that it will impose sanctions against India. The Biden administration also cited the Chinese activities against India for it. Besides, Lu threatened India even over this issue.
But the Indian foreign policy does not depend of the desires of the United States and India will not leave the independence and balance of the foreign policy under any circumstances. In this scenario, India has indicated that if the United States took a stand against India, the outcome could be the opposite of what is expected by the United States.
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