US Administration Cannot even dare to dream of Imposing its limp CAATSA on INDIA
USA Government and the American Congress both are fully aware that the partnership between the world’s oldest and largest democracies is very critical for USA. This partnership with India must continue to be strengthened in response to increasing Chinese dominance of the World economy in general and in the Indo-Pacific regions in particular. Only India is sending an unequivocal signal to the entire World that sovereignty and international law must be respected by all.
India’s is now no more reliant on Russian or any other country for military imports for its national defence. Though for a few years more, India will certainly continue to import certain critical gap fillers to strengthen its defences, till own indigenous systems get fully established.
Indian swift response against Chinese intrusion in Galwan Valley not only stunned the Chinese but also the entire World. For fool proving its air defence, India had inked a INR 45000 Crores deal with Russia for five squadrons of S-400s in October 2018.
This irked the Americans no end. However India just ignored all the tantrums demonstrated by USA on the subject. The tantrums at one point seemed to be turning into threats also but then the Americans developed very cold feet. As per a top official under President Joe Biden’s administration, the United States administration has not been able to develop the courage to impose sanctions on India under CAATSA for its acquisition of the S-400 missile system from Russia. It already knows how useless it’s sanctions have been against Russia over Ukraine.
The threats of CAATSA it seems turned into pleadings by American Senators on India to somehow cancel the S400 deal. Finally seeing it totally ignored, now American Congressman Ro Khanna has said a waiver of Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) is in the best interest of the US and the US-India defence partnership.
However here again Khanna while introducing an amendment has chosen a very wrong word which is disliked immensely by Indians. He has said that said, “US should take additional steps to encourage India to accelerate India’s transition of Russian-built weapons and defence systems while strongly supporting India’s immediate defence needs.”
Khanna Sahib is totally ignorant of India. No country, not even USA or China can “encourage “ India to do anything. India makes considered decisions and will take all steps fearlessly in its National interest. So whether USA imposes CAATSA or gives a waiver is there decision and India has no time for even looking at such antics.
Congressman Khanna stressed on the border threats that India faces from China and its reliance on Russian-built weapons. “Congress recognizes that India faces immediate and serious regional border threats from China, with continued military aggression by the Government of China along the India-China border.” Well Khannaji please do not worry, we Indians are fully capable of looking after our interests.
What the Americans seem to overlook is that China has stopped in its track after receiving a very tight knock on its face from the Indian Army. Whereas the same PLA is showing total disdain for the American Forces in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo Pacific.
What seems to be a 100% face saving statement meant for the consumption of domestic audience, In a proposal to an amendment of Congress Rules Committee Print 117-54, the Democrat leader and US representative from California said that “while India faces immediate needs to maintain its heavily Russian-built weapons systems, a waiver to sanctions under the Countering 3 America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act during this 4 transition period is in the best interests of the United States and the US-India defence partnership to deter aggressors in light of Russia and China’s close partnership.”
Well the above is certainly in the interest of the USA. India on the other hand does not care what you do with yourself called CAATSA.
The American politician with Indian heritage pointed out that a strong United States-India defence partnership is rooted in shared democratic values and is critical in order to advance United States interests in the Indo-Pacific region. The thing this American politician of Indian origin must point out to rest of his fellow politicians that any Indo American relationship must be based on pure EQUALITY and nothing else.
Khanna also emphasized on the significance of the US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET).8″The Congress finds that the United States-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) is a welcome and essential step to developing closer partnerships between governments, academia, and industry in the United States and India to address the latest advances in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology, aerospace, 3 and semiconductor manufacturing.
Such collaborations between engineers and computer scientists are vital to help ensure that the United States and India, as well as other democracies around the world, foster innovation and facilitate technological advances which continue to far outpace Russian and Chinese technology.”
The above may be OK but people like Khanna have to be ENCOURAGED that when they address India, then they must refrain from talking about other friends of India.
