India agreed to a $5 billion deal to buy five Russian air defense systems Friday despite the threat of U.S. sanctions for trading with the Russian defense and intelligence sectors, according to The Associated Press.

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The deal for five S-400 systems was made during a visit to India by Russian President Vladimir Putin. He was there to discuss a wide range of issues including space, trade and nuclear energy.

India requested that the U.S. grant it a waiver from sanctions that could be levied. The Countering America's Allies Through Sanctions Act passed in August 2017 calls for sanctions for doing business with Russia. It is intended to punish Russia for election interference and the annexation of Crimea.

When China made a similar purchase last month it was not spared from sanctions.

According to India's Defense Ministry, nearly 70 percent of India's current defense equipment comes from Russia.

The S-400 surface-to-air missile system is critical to India for countering Chinese incursion into their sphere of influence, military experts told AP.

“It gives the capability to destroy targets inside another country. It’s a very important capability,” said retired Indian air force Air Marshal Nirdosh Tyagi.

The U.S. and India also have significant military coordination, having signed a new deal in September that was a prerequisite for India to make new purchases of advanced military equipment.

Since 2008, India has signed more than $15 billion in defense deals with the U.S., the AP reports.

The contracts include transport aircraft, maritime patrol aircraft, Harpoon missiles and helicopters.