CAATSA Threat Looms Large Over India For Purchase Of S-400 Missile Defense System, US Maintains Ambiguity

The development comes a week after India started receiving the supplies of S-400 missile defense system from Russia amid demands from Republican & Democratic lawmakers not to impose CAATSA sanctions

A handout picture taken and released on August 27, 2019, by the Turkish Defence Ministry shows a part of S-400 missile defence system after is was unloaded from a Russian cargo plane (Image: AFP)

New Delhi: In regard to India's purchase of the S-400 missile defense system from Russia, the United States has not made a determination yet on any potential Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) waiver, the Biden Administration said on Tuesday.

The development comes a week after India has started receiving the supplies of the S-400 missile defense system from Russia amid demands from top Republican and Democratic lawmakers not to impose CAATSA sanctions on India, according to the news agency ANI.

Even as the US asserted that it values the strategic partnership with India, a state department official maintained the Biden administration didn’t reveal much over the issue by observing that CAATSA does not have a blanket or country-specific waiver provision attached to it.

While referring to the Indian government for any comments on potential deliveries of the S-400 system on the sanctions, the US spokesperson said, “We have been clear when it comes to the system, not only in the Indian context but more broadly as well, that we've urged all of our allies, all of our partners to forego transactions with Russia that may risk triggering sanctions under so-called CAATSA, the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. We have not made a determination on a potential waiver with respect to Indian arms transactions with Russia,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said.

CAATSA, however, does not have a blanket or country-specific waiver provision attached to it. “We also know that our defense relationship with India has expanded and deepened significantly in recent years. It's deep and commensurate with the broad and deep relationship that we have with India and its status as a major defense partner,” Price said.

He emphasised that the US expect this strong momentum in defense relationship to continue. We certainly value our strategic partnership with India. “As you know, we had an opportunity to travel to India not all that long ago. In August, I believe it was, we've met with Foreign Minister Jaishankar many times. We have discussed this concern directly, including with the highest levels in the Indian government, Price responded to a question.

Several members of the US Congress, he said, have shown deep interest in the issue.