Defence buys

The officials said CAATSA and its impact on India’s military readiness is “a matter of continuing discussions between India and the US”. Aspects related to the US sanctions will be discussed at the 2+2 talks on September 6, one of the officials said.

“India has conveyed to the US that the sanctions legislation cannot be allowed to derail IndiaRussia military ties. And they are sensitive to our concerns, given the widespread use of Russian weapons in our military,” the official added.

Addressing an audience at the Carnegie Endowment For International Peace in Washington on Wednesday, Schriver said the waiver authority had created the impression the US would insulate India “from any fallout from this legislation no matter what they do”. He added, “I would say that’s a bit misleading.

“We would still have very significant concerns if India pursued major new platforms and systems (from Russia). I can’t sit here and tell you that they would be exempt, that we would use that waiver,” Schriver said ahead of the 2+2 dialogue that will see his boss, defence secretary Jim Mattis, and secretary of state Mike Pompeo meeting their Indian counterparts.

Schriver conceded Mattis himself “did plea for an exception for India” but added he couldn’t guarantee “a waiver will be used for future purchases”.

Mattis and Pompeo had strongly urged US Congress for a clearer exemption for India and a few other countries under CAATSA, a 2017 law that seeks to punish Russia for its annexation of Crimea and interference in the 2016 US elections.

Russia continues to account for more than 60% of the hardware and equipment used by India’s armed forces despite moves by New Delhi to source military gear from other sources such as the US and Israel.

India, the world’s top defence importer, plans to buy five S-400 missile defence systems from Russia for around $4.5 billion.

Ashley Tellis, a former state department official who played a key role in the signing of the