CAATSA sanctions waiver to India over S-400

US House votes for CAATSA sanctions waiver to India over S-400 missile deal with Russia

The US House of Representatives has passed by voice vote a legislative amendment that approves waiver to India against the punitive CAATSA-Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act- sanctions for its purchase of the S-400 missile defence system from Russia
In October 2018, India signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems.
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.

CAATSA is a tough US law that authorises the US administration to impose sanctions on countries that purchase major defence hardware from Russia.
The law was brought in 2017.
The CAATSA has 12 different categories of sanctions. There are only two sanctions that could harm relations between India and the US or India and Russia.
- The first sanction is a ban on banking transactions.
  - India would not be able to make payments in US Dollars to Russia for the purchase of the S-400 systems.
- Second Sanctions against exports
  - It will refuse the sanctioned person a license to import or export any US-controlled commodities.

If strictly enforced, CAATSA would affect Indian defence imports from Russia.
Indian purchases include 1135.6 frigates, Ka-226T helicopters, and joint ventures with Indo Russian Aviation Ltd, Multi-Role Transport Aircraft Ltd, and Brahmos Aerospace in addition to S-400s.
Additionally, it would have an impact on the purchasing of accessories, parts, raw materials, and other support.
The majority of India’s military hardware, such as the nuclear submarine INS Chakra, the conventional Kilo-class submarine, the supersonic Brahmos cruise missile, the MiG and Sukhoi fighters, the Mi helicopters, and the Vikramaditya aircraft carrier, is of Soviet or Russian origin.

It is a portable Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) system created by Russia.
It is the most dangerous operationally deployed Modern Long-Range SAM (MLR SAM) in the world, considered much ahead of the US-developed Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD).
Within a 400km radius and at an altitude of up to 30km, the system is capable of engaging all forms of aerial targets, including aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), and ballistic and cruise missiles.
Maximum target speed: 4.8 km/s (17,000 km/h; 11,000 mph; Mach 14)

Content Source: Indian Express