Consider CAATSA before buying Russian arms: US to allies
What's the story
As India plans to purchase five S-400 Triumf air defense systems for $4.5 billion from Russia, the US today said its allies should take the Countering America's Adversaries through Sanction Act (CAATSA) into consideration, under which any significant purchase of Russian military would attract American sanctions.
CAATSA was signed by US President Donald Trump in August 2017 and went into effect this January.
Bound by US law
CAATSA needs to be taken seriously: Tina Kaidanow
Official sources say the impact of US sanctions under CAATSA on Indo-Russian defense cooperation might be discussed between PM Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin during their informal summit on Monday in Sochi in Russia.
"CAATSA needs to be taken seriously. The administration is always bound by US law" said Tina Kaidanow, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs.
Kaidanow's India visit
Kaidanow to talk to India on defense trade and peacekeeping
"We are going to have to continue to have that conversation with both our Indian counterparts and others about how do we deal with the CAATSA issue. It is US law. Our partners need to take that into consideration as they make their decisions," Kaidanow said.
Kaidanow will travel to India next week to talks about defense trade and peacekeeping.
Russia's malign behavior
The intent is emphasize on Russia's malign behavior: Kaidanow
"The intent is to emphasize that Russia's malign behavior is countered all over the world and by virtue of purchasing large-scale Russian system, what you're doing is enabling that kind of behavior," Tina Kaidanow said.
India is not going to allow its defense engagement with Russia to be dictated by any other country, the sources said earlier this week.
American over Russian
Buy American, not Russian
Kaidanow clarified that the message was intended not just for India but for all its partners. She emphasized on buying American products which are "good" and address relevant security needs.
She said you are creating an environment in which Russians are able to do problematic things when you buy their products.
She acknowledged the US understands the historic defense relationship between India and Russia.