Under the Countering America’s Adversaries through Penalties Act (CAATSA), the US is continuing to talk to India about the risks of sanctions for its purchase of the S-400 missile system from Russia, but hasn’t taken a decision “with regard to this transaction,” the State Department said on Thursday.
The state department’s spokesperson, Ned Price, was questioned whether India’s purchase of the missile system will damage the bilateral relationship between India and the United States, considering the United States’ increasing concerns with Russia.
‘In many ways, this doesn’t change our concerns about the S-400 system,’he added. It, in my opinion, highlights Russia’s destabilising role not only in the region, but potentially beyond it as well. You’ve heard me say before that we haven’t made a decision on CAATSA sanctions for this transaction, but it’s something we’re continuing to discuss with the Government of India, given the risk of CAATSA sanctions for this transaction.”
Price went on to say that the US continued to ‘encourage all governments to avoid big new transactions for Russian weapon systems,’ whether it was India or another country.
‘I don’t have a date to present,’ Price said when asked if the US had a timeline for the CAATSA decision. “But these are problems that we continue to address with our partners in India.’
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