US House approves sanctions waiver to India after S-400 missiles deal with Russia
India Today
The United States House of Representatives approved an amendment to the National Defence Authorization Act (NDAA), paving the way for an India-specific waiver for the CAATSA sanctions.
The United States House of Representatives approved Indian-origin Congressman Ro Khanna’s amendment to the National Defence Authorization Act (NDAA) on Thursday, paving the way for an India-specific waiver for the CAATSA sanctions.
The amendment was passed by voice vote as part of an en bloc amendment during floor consideration of the NDAA. While it doesn’t equal a decision on Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), it urges the administration to grant a waiver.
Afterwards, Ro Khanna said that it will further strengthen US and India's defence partnership.
"There is no relationship of greater significance to US strategic interests than the US-India partnership. My bipartisan NDAA amendment marks the most significant piece of legislation for US-India relations out of Congress since the US-India nuclear deal," he said.
The Khanna amendment will affirm the United States’ partnership with India and urge the Biden administration to use their authority to provide India with a CAATSA waiver to help deter aggressors like China.
“The United States must stand with India in the face of escalating aggression from China. As Vice Chair of the India Caucus, I have been working to strengthen the partnership between our countries and ensure that India can defend itself along the Indian Chinese border,” said Khanna.
The Indian-American Congressman’s amendment had four sub-sections. The first section said that “a strong United States-India defense partnership, rooted in shared democratic values, is critical in order to advance United States interests in the Indo-Pacific region.
