New York. There is good news for India regarding the S-400 Air Defense System deal with Russia. The US government has indicated that it will not impose restrictions on India regarding this deal.
Let us tell you that America had objected to this deal. Along with this, there was talk of taking action against India. India has started receiving consignments of S-400 air defense systems.
The Biden administration has not yet made it clear whether it will impose sanctions on India under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CATSA) for buying the S-400 missile system. The US has already imposed sanctions on Turkey under KATSA for buying S-400 missile defense systems from Russia.
Good sign for india
In the US State Department’s Sanctions Policy Coordination, President Biden’s representative James O’Brien was asked whether India has also been warned by the US sanctions on Turkey. MP Todd Young asked O’Brien, ‘I think they have very different circumstances and they have different defense partnerships too… but how do you think we should think about the possibility of banning our friends?’
‘We have to focus on maintaining balance’
In response, O’Brien said that it is difficult to compare the two situations. NATO ally Turkey is taking a stand in the defense procurement system and partnership with India which has longstanding ties with Russia is important. “The administration has made it clear that it is discouraging India to buy arms from Russia and there are some important geo-strategic issues, especially with regard to relations with China,” he said. So I believe we have to look at maintaining balance.
India’s support
Republican lawmaker Todd Young has backed the waiver of sanctions under CATSA against India for its purchase of the S-400 missile system from Russia, saying President Joe Biden’s administration should oppose any action that would Can take India away from the quad.
MP Todd Young said, ‘India is an important ally in our competition against China and therefore I believe that we should oppose any action that may take them away from us and the Quad. Therefore, given our shared foreign policy interest, I strongly support the relaxation of the QATSA sanctions against India.
