US panel proposes sanction waivers

WASHINGTON: WAIVER IS INTENDED AT PREVENTING US CHECKS ON INDIA, WHICH PLANS TO BUY 5 S400 TRIUMF AIR DEFENCE SYSTEMS FOR AROUND $4.5 BN FROM RUSSIA

A US Congressional committee on Tuesday proposed waivers for countries like India from punitive sanctions against those doing business with Russia’s defence industry.

The Senate and House Armed Services Committee in a joint conference report to the National Defense Authorisation Act (NDAA)-2019 provided a modified waiver to section 231 of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act or CAATSA.

A conference report refers to the final version of a bill that is negotiated between the House of Representatives and the Senate via conference committee.

CAATSA waiver though general in nature is intended at preventing US sanctions on India, which is planning to buy five S-400 Triumf air defence systems for around $ 4.5 billion from Russia.

Unlike the existing version of the act, the proposed modified waiver requires presidential certifications designed to protect US alliances, military operations, and sensitive technology, said a statement issued by the Senate Armed Services Committee after the two committees announced details of the conference report.

The John McCain National Defence Authorisation Act for Fiscal Year 2019, which authorises funding for the Department of Defense and the national security programmes of the Department of Energy, encourages US allies and partners to reduce inventory of Russian-produced major defence equipment and advanced conventional weapons.

At the same time, it excludes the possibility of waivers for Russian intelligence agencies and other entities engaged in cyberattacks.

The move comes days after US defence secretary Jim Mattis asked the Congress to give the Secretary of State the waiver authority.