Friend, from a distance.

In January 2021, "The United States has told India it is unlikely to get a waiver on its planned acquisition of Russian S-400 air defence systems, raising the risks of sanctions similar to those imposed on Turkey for buying that equipment, people aware of the matter said," India Today. "The sanctions target Turkey's Defence Industries Directorate president Ismail Demir, and three other employees. They include a ban on US export licenses, as well as a freeze on any assets that are in US jurisdictions," BBC. "According to Bloomberg News, the US is considering a $500 million defence package for India to finance the purchase of US weapons systems," wrote Mihir Sharma. That's less than chicken feed. "India is spending $5.5 billion on Russia's S-400 surface-to-air missile platform. The US made Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system costs about six times that much and isn't even as versatile." In March 2019, Indian Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman shot down a Pakistan Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft, ET. In the process his MiG-21 Bison was also shot down. However, "A US count of the F16s in Pakistan has found that none of them are 'missing' and all the planes were 'present and accounted for', according to a report in a prominent American magazine," BS. The S-400 will eliminate the need for aerial dogfights. As noted by Military Times "the S-400 can react to targets in less than 10 seconds and can hit targets at a range of up to 250 miles while traveling at about 10,000 mph. It says the system can eliminate such US aircraft as the B-52 and B-1 bombers; F-15, F-16 and F-22 fighters; as well as surveillance aircraft and Tomahawk missiles," BI. Which means, as India acquires the S-400 system Pakistan's main fighter aircraft will become useless and it will stop buying them. So the US is threatening sanctions to force India to buy its extremely expensive, but ineffective, air defense system so as to continue to sell to Pakistan. Recently, "India is berated for deviating from 'civilised norms' and then berated once again for having the temerity to remind others of their deviation from 'civilised norms'," because of India's purchase of Russian oil while the West continues to buy gas from Russia, wrote Prof Rahul Sagar. "Ten more European gas buyers have opened accounts in Gazprombank JSC, doubling the total number of clients preparing to pay in rubles for Russian gas as President Vladimir Putin demanded," Bloomberg. Italy has presented a 4-point peace plan for Ukraine to the United Nations which calls for local ceasefire, evacuation of civilians and winding down of sanctions, ET. US sanctions on Russia have become sanctions on all European countries. With a friend like the US who needs enemies? India is wise to keep its distance.