India Unlikely To Escape U.S. Sanctions Without Wider Waiver For Russian S-400s: Analyst Richard Rossow

NEW DELHI: “We’re (India-U.S.) in a dangerous place right now (over the India-Russia S-400 air defence system deal). The good odds are that we’re going to end up in a bad place on this (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act-CAATSA) unless we end this game of chicken,” says Richard Rossow, Wadhwani Chair, U.S.-India Policy Studies, Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. Without a widening of the waiver, he said, “I don’t think this allows the case for India to pass through”. The India-U.S. policy specialist pointed out: “we don’t yet know the positions that a lot of senior Biden administration officials are going to take,” but added, “how do you sanction a treaty ally(Turkey) and not sanction a friend and partner (India)?” In December last year, the U.S. targeted Turkey with the CAATSA over its Russia S-400 deal. Rossow said “this was heading in our direction for quite some time” but added, “it has not lowered ambitions (between the two countries). You’ve seen the two plus two dialogues and our military engagements. There’s no indication whatsoever that either side has started to downplay expectations (of strengthening relations).

Rossow also spoke to StratNews Global Associate Editor Amitabh P. Revi on President Joe Biden’s China, Pakistan policies and the whole gamut of issues that impact bilateral ties, including defence and high tech, trade, investment, immigration, economic reform and climate change.