Trump: India to soon find out

THE US WILL TAKE care of countries which defy its directive to bring their oil imports from Iran to zero by November 4

— DONALD TRUMP, US President

Washington, Oct. 11: US President Donald Trump has said that India would soon “find out” if the punitive CAATSA sanctions apply to it over its $5 billion deal with Russia to purchase the S400 Triumf air defence system.

The Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act or CAATSA is a US federal law that imposed sanctions on Iran, North Korea and Russia.

In Russia’s case, the act primarily deals with sanctions on Russian interests such as its oil and gas industry, defence and security sector, and financial institutions, in the backdrop of its military intervention in Ukraine and its alleged meddling in the 2016 US Presidential elections.

India last week inked a deal to purchase the S-400 Triumf air defence system from Moscow.

The mega deal was sealed in New Delhi during the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin for the annual summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Asked about the agreement between India and Russia, Mr Trump while interacting with reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday, said, “India will find out. Aren’t they?” “India is going to find out, he said.

Asked when, he said, “You will see. Sooner than you think.”

Secretary of state Mike Pompeo was also in the room when Mr Trump answered the question on CAATSA sanctions. Pompeo was scheduled to meet the president later.

Pompeo and defence secretary James Mattis had earlier argued the case for a waiver to India.