The United States is continuing to talk to India about the risks of sanctions for its acquisition of the S-400 missile system from Russia under the Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), but hasn’t made a determination “with regard to this transaction”, the State department said on Thursday, Trend reports citing Hindustan Times.
Speaking at a regular press briefing, the State department spokesperson Ned Price was asked whether, given the US’s renewed tensions with Russia, India’s purchase of the missile system will affect the India-US bilateral relationship.
He said, “In many ways, this doesn’t change the concerns that we have with the S-400 system. I think it shines a spotlight on the destabilising role that Russia is playing not only in the region, but potentially beyond as well. When it comes to CAATSA sanctions, you’ve heard me say before we haven’t made a determination with regard to this transaction, but it’s something we continue to discuss with the Government of India, given the risk of sanctions for this particular transaction under CAATSA.”
Price added that whether it was India or any other country, the US continued to “urge all countries to avoid major new transactions for Russian weapon systems”. When asked if the US had a timeline on the decision on CAATSA, Price said, “I don’t have a timeline to offer, but these are issues that we continue to discuss with our partners in India.”
CAATSA came into force in 2017, at a time when the political mood in Washington DC was hostile to Russia for its actions in Ukraine, Syria and alleged interference in the 2016 US presidential elections. The Act seeks to deter countries which engage with Russia, especially in the realm of defence purchases, through punitive measures. Under the Act, sanctions were imposed on Turkey — a NATO ally — for its acquisition of the S-400 system from Russia.
India has a long-standing defence relationship with Russia — and has pursued its acquisition of the S-400 missile system.
The ministry of external affairs (MEA) has maintained that India’s decisions are guided by its own national security considerations. In November, MEA spokesperson Arindam Baghci said, “India and the US have a comprehensive global strategic partnership and India has a special and privileged strategic partnership with Russia. We also pursue an independent foreign policy. This applies to our defence acquisition and supplies which are guided by our national security interests.”
Most observers of the India-US relationship in Washington believe the US is likely to recognise India’s defence imperatives with regard to China, and waive off sanctions. But the renewed tensions over Ukraine have created a strong bipartisan mood in Washington against Russian actions, and added to India’s challenge in balancing ties. New Delhi issued a statement on Friday hoping for a peaceful resolution of the situation in Ukraine.
Commenting on the broader challenge for India as US-Russia tensions deepen, Ashley J Tellis, the Tata chair for strategic studies at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and among the foremost experts on Asian geopolitics in the US, said, “There are already anxieties in the Congress about India, including vis a vis its relationship with Russia. If Delhi feels compelled to mildly sympathetic to Russia, or even excessively neutral, it will not find a receptive audience for its position in Washington DC. India is admittedly in a hard place.”