| Translate This News In |
|---|
An influential Indian-American Democratic Congressman claimed that the recent vote by the US House of Representatives to waive specific CAATSA sanctions against India is the most significant vote since the civilian nuclear agreement. He claimed that US President Joe Biden will hasten the waiver because he has the “political mileage” and the support of 300 members of Congress.
The US House of Representatives approved an amendment to a law in July that grants India a particular exemption from harsh CAATSA sanctions in exchange for acquiring the S-400 missile defense system from Russia.
The amendment, written and sponsored by Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna, calls on the Biden administration to exercise its power to grant India a CAATSA waiver to help deter aggressors like China.
“Relationship between the US and India has never been more important. The interaction between an expansionist China and an expansionist Russia will define the 21st century. Additionally, we have to make it crystal clear to India that we value our partnerships with them highly “In an interview with PTI, Mr. Khanna said.
The legislation was approved by voice vote last month as a part of an en bloc (all at once) amendment during floor discussion of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Before being delivered to President Biden to be signed into law, the legislation must still be approved by the US Senate.
In reaction to Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its suspected interference in the 2016 US presidential elections, the US government is permitted to apply penalties on nations that buy significant defense equipment from Russia under the strict CAATSA statute.
The most important vote for India-US ties, he said, was the bipartisan vote, which received backing from 300 members of Congress.
The Biden administration backed Mr. Khanna’s legislative change, according to Mr. Khanna, a member of the prominent group to Taiwan recently headed by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
When asked why Joe Biden has not yet granted India’s request for a national interest waiver, Mr. Khanna responded that the president is swamped with both home and foreign problems.
