US Senate passes Bill to waive sanctions against India for buying Russian Air Defence Systems

August 2,2018:

On Wednesday, US Senate passed a Defence spending Bill that also seeks to amend another law that threatens Secondary Sanctions against Countries such as India which conduct “significant” business with Russia if New Delhi went ahead with plans to buy Russian Air Defence systems.

Bill titled as National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) 2019, had already been passed in House of Representatives and is now headed for President Donald Trump for his signature. He is not expected to withhold approval given the support White House has already extended to the bill.

Defense Secretary James N Mattis stated that,“I am grateful for the strong commitment of members on both sides of the aisle to pass this year’s NDAA in record time. Together, they have demonstrated the deep and abiding bipartisan support our military enjoys”.

Statement noted listing highlights of the legislation, it “provides waiver relief to key US partners and allies from certain Russian-related sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).”

NDAA 2019 would amend CAATSA allowing countries such as India to continue to buy from Russia provided they fulfill certain conditions, which, most American and Indian officials and experts aver, New Delhi does such as reducing orders placed with Russia and stepping up calls to the US.

CAATSA was enacted in 2017, and came into effect in 2018 to punish Russia for the 2016 election meddling. Among other things, CAATSA forbade third-party countries from doing “significant transactions” with Russia in military and intelligence sectors through the threat of secondary sanctions.

India was directly in line of fire under this law for plans going back from before CAATSA came into force to buy five S-400 air defense systems from a Russian company on the US list of sanctioned entities.

Source Hindustan Times