<p>Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna has introduced a legislative amendment in the US House of Representatives to provide a waiver to India against the punitive CAATSA sanctions for its purchase of the S-400 missile defence system from Russia arguing that this will strengthen defence partnership between New Delhi and America.</p>.<p>The Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which was brought in 2017, provides for punitive actions against any country engaged in transactions with the Russian defence and intelligence sectors.</p>.<p>In October 2018, India signed a $5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems, despite a warning from the then-Trump administration that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions.</p>.<p>“While India faces immediate needs to maintain its heavily Russian-built weapons systems, a waiver to sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) during this transition period is in the best interest of the US and the US-India defence partnership to deter aggressors in light of Russia and China’s close partnership,” says the legislative amendment moved by Khanna, the Democratic lawmaker from California.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/us-congress-and-indias-role-in-quad-and-indo-pacific-1124787.html" target="_blank">US Congress and India's role in Quad and Indo-Pacific</a></strong></p>.<p>“The historic amendment will strengthen the US-India defence partnership and ensure that India does not face crippling sanctions at a time when we need to build the alliance,” Khanna told PTI, a day after introducing the legislation.</p>.<p>“It is an utmost significant and urgent initiative to broiled the US-India relationship. I am hopeful my colleagues will pass it on a bipartisan basis,” Khanna said in response to a question.</p>.<p>The legislative amendment says that India faces immediate and serious regional border threats from China, with continued military aggression by the Government of China along the India-China border.</p>.<p>Noting that India relies on Russian-built weapons for its national defence, the legislative amendment says that the United States should take additional steps to encourage India to accelerate its transition off Russian-built weapons and defence systems while strongly supporting India’s immediate defence needs.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>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.</p>
<p>Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna has introduced a legislative amendment in the US House of Representatives to provide a waiver to India against the punitive CAATSA sanctions for its purchase of the S-400 missile defence system from Russia arguing that this will strengthen defence partnership between New Delhi and America.</p>.<p>The Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which was brought in 2017, provides for punitive actions against any country engaged in transactions with the Russian defence and intelligence sectors.</p>.<p>In October 2018, India signed a $5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems, despite a warning from the then-Trump administration that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions.</p>.<p>“While India faces immediate needs to maintain its heavily Russian-built weapons systems, a waiver to sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) during this transition period is in the best interest of the US and the US-India defence partnership to deter aggressors in light of Russia and China’s close partnership,” says the legislative amendment moved by Khanna, the Democratic lawmaker from California.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/us-congress-and-indias-role-in-quad-and-indo-pacific-1124787.html" target="_blank">US Congress and India's role in Quad and Indo-Pacific</a></strong></p>.<p>“The historic amendment will strengthen the US-India defence partnership and ensure that India does not face crippling sanctions at a time when we need to build the alliance,” Khanna told PTI, a day after introducing the legislation.</p>.<p>“It is an utmost significant and urgent initiative to broiled the US-India relationship. I am hopeful my colleagues will pass it on a bipartisan basis,” Khanna said in response to a question.</p>.<p>The legislative amendment says that India faces immediate and serious regional border threats from China, with continued military aggression by the Government of China along the India-China border.</p>.<p>Noting that India relies on Russian-built weapons for its national defence, the legislative amendment says that the United States should take additional steps to encourage India to accelerate its transition off Russian-built weapons and defence systems while strongly supporting India’s immediate defence needs.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>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.</p>