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"CAATSA's (presidential) waiver is narrow, it aims to wean Russian equipment and allow such things as spare parts for equipment previously purchased," said a spokesman for the National Security Council at the House White at the PTI Friday, a day after the entry of India a purchase contract of the state-of-the-art S-400 missile defense system.
The S-400 missile defense system would provide Indian defense with advanced security against any missile attack by its enemies.
"India lives in a very turbulent and nuclear-powered region, S-400 provides this insurance and is compatible with its current platform, and friends understand that these discussions with Russia began several years ago. So I do not believe that the United States will impose a sanction on India, "Mukesh Aghi, chairman of the US Strategic Forum and Partnership with India, told PTI.
But with regard to the presidential renunciation, the law against the American adversary by sanctions or sanctions of CAATSA intervenes in the event of a major purchase such as the system. missile defense system S-400. Prior to the agreement, the United States had asked India not to buy the S-400. He repeated Friday.
"The Administration indicated that the implementation of CAATSA Section 231 was primarily aimed at improving capabilities, including the S-400 air defense and anti-missile systems," said CNS spokesperson White House.
Last month, the United States imposed sanctions on China for the purchase of S-400 from Russia. "Our recent action to sanction a Chinese government entity for delivery in S-400 mode underscores the seriousness of our determination on this issue," said the spokesman.
"The power of derogation is not country-specific, there are strict criteria for considering a waiver," the spokesman said.
The State Department, which is responsible for reviewing the agreement and initiating CAATSAA's sanction or waiver process, and then recommending it to the Chair, did not respond to the question about the timing and the process.
However, an industry source told PTI that the law is ambiguous about "when a waiver is needed so that it can be avoided for years".
The National Defense Clearance Act (NDDA) 2019 gives the President the power to lift the sanctions provided by CAATSA if it is of interest to national security. It also lists several other presidential waiver options, among which the buyer country – India in this case – is taking or will take steps to reduce its inventory of major defense equipment and equipment. advanced conventional weapons produced by the defense. sector of the Russian Federation as part of its total inventory of major defense equipment and advanced conventional weapons over a given period.
In fact, over the past decade, India, the world's largest arms buyer, has gradually reduced its dependence on Russian weapons. It now stands at about 60%, which is well below what it was ten years ago. The United States has been the main beneficiary.
As part of its diversification plan, India has increased its arms purchases in the United States from around zero to more than $ 18 billion. India is buying billions of dollars worth of weapons and equipment from the United States in the coming months and years, including armed and unarmed drones and combat aircraft.
A presidential waiver may also be granted if a country like India, in this case, cooperates with the US government on other security issues that are essential to the strategic interests of the United States. Experts believe this is exactly the case and one of the main reasons why the United States has designated India as a major defense partner.
"I do not like to make predictions in Washington today, but punishing India and giving up the Indian defense market to Russia would have exactly the opposite effect of the US. CAATSA's desired effect.No US interest group enjoys sanctioning India, "said Benjamin Schwartz The US India Business Council told PTI. He previously held the post of Director for India at the Office of the US Secretary of Defense.
Aparna Pande, of the Hudson Institute think tank, said: "I think it's more likely that even though India will sign the S-400 agreement, it will delay payment, and so on. so that sanctions do not come into force.
"Thus, India retains its strategic autonomy and historical ties with Russia, while ensuring that its strategic relations with the United States will not be affected either," said Pande.
According to Rick Rossow, of the think tank of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, "Congress has expanded the criteria for renunciation with India in mind and the fact that we had a solid 2 + 2 dialogue in Delhi there a month ago shows that the government believes in the momentum.
"But" the interest "is not the same as the action, and the opponents of a waiver can now begin to make their voices heard, so nothing is certain." warned Rossow.
"The 2 + 2 meetings and the signing of the COMCASA agreement suggest warming relations between the United States and India, but its pursuit of the S-400 missile defense system poses thorny compromises to the Trump administrator: how to coerce one party without hurting another? "Caroline Baxter of RAND Corporation said in a tweet.
The Russian Embassy in the United States tweeted that the delivery of the S-400 would begin in October 2020.
