India sanctions waiver approved
US PASSES AMENDMENT TO EXEMPT DELHI FROM PUNITIVE ACTION OVER RUSSIA DEAL
THE US House of Representatives passed by voice vote last week a legislative amendment that exempts India against sanctions for its purchase of the S-400 missile defence system from Russia.
Authored and introduced by Indian American Congressman Ro Khanna, the amendment urges the administration of president Joe Biden to use its authority to provide India with a Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) waiver to help deter aggressors like China.
CAATSA is a tough US law that authorises the administration to impose sanctions on countries that purchase major defence hardware from Russia in response to Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its alleged meddling in the 2016 US presidential elections.
“The US must stand with India in the face of escalating aggression from China. As vice chair of the India Caucus, I have been working to strengthen the partnership between our countries and ensure that India can defend itself along the Indian Chinese border,” said Khanna, the US representative from California’s 17th congressional district.
“This amendment is of the utmost importance, and I am proud to see it pass the House on a bipartisan basis,” he said.
The law was brought in 2017 and provides for punitive actions by the US government against any country engaged in transactions with the Russian defence and intelligence sectors. The amendment was passed last Thursday (14) as part of an en bloc (as a single unit) amendment during floor consideration of the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA).
In October 2018, India signed a $5 billion (£4.16bn) deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems, despite a warning from the administration of then US president Donald that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions.
The S-400 is known as Russia’s most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile defence system.
The US has already imposed sanctions on Turkey under the CAATSA for the purchase of a batch of S-400 missile defence systems from Russia. Following the US sanctions on Turkey over the procurement of S-400 missile systems, there were apprehensions that Washington may impose similar punitive measures on India.
In April, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US has not yet made any decision on potential sanctions or waivers to India under CATSAA law for its purchase of the S-400 missile defence system from Russia. India’s Ministry of External Affairs said the country was pursuing an independent foreign policy and its defence acquisitions are guided by its national security interests.
In his remarks on the House floor, Khanna said there is no relationship of greater significance to US strategic interests than the USIndia partnership.