The US House of Representatives has approved a legislative amendment that would shield India from punitive sanctions for purchasing Russian missiles. The India-specific amendment, which was passed on Thursday afternoon, is still to be approved by the Senate before being signed by President Joe Biden.
In October 2018, India signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 surface-to-air missile defense system, despite a warning from the then Trump administration that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions. India has asserted that its decisions are based on its national interest to protect its national security.
Read more: Does S-400 air defense missile system signal an end of Pakistan Air Force?
It was written and introduced by Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna and asks the Biden administration to grant India a waiver from the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which may result in immediate sanctions against New Delhi for purchasing weapons from Moscow.
According to the amendment, such a waiver is required to dissuade China’s influence in the region. It was approved by voice vote as part of an en bloc amendment during floor debate on US defense bill for 2023.
The United States regards India as a critical ally in its efforts to offset China’s expanding global influence and has included it in the ‘Quad’ alliance aimed at countering China in the Pacific region.
CAATSA, which was passed by the US Congress in 2017, allows for punitive sanctions against any country that is involved in transactions with Russia’s defense and intelligence sectors.
CAATSA became a cause of contention in India-US relations after New Delhi signed a deal with Moscow to procure the S-400 missile defense system during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
India has also breached US sanctions by purchasing Russian oil.
In May, Senator Bob Menendez, who heads the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, pointed out at a congressional hearing that the Indians “go buy oil from Russia. They buy the S-400 [anti-missile system]. They abstain at the United Nations [on votes criticizing Russia]” and yet they were never punished for these violations.
Read more: Russia boosts oil supplies with discounts
According to Reuters, India’s oil imports from Russia reached a record of about 950,000 barrels per day (bpd) in June, as Indian refiners picked up Russian oil supplied at discounted prices. The report also revealed that India shipped in around 4.8 million bpd of oil in June, about 23 per cent higher than last year.