On US sanctions for S-400 deal with Russia, Donald Trump says, ‘India will find out’ 

Donald Trump.

India signed a $5 billion deal to purchase S-400 Triumf anti-missile system from Russia, on last Friday, defying threat of American sanctions. On being asked if Washington will now impose sanctions on New Delhi, the US president, Donald Trump, on Wednesday, said that India “will soon find out”.

The United States has a domestic law – Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) – which was amended earlier where the president has the authority to give a waiver to a country that faces sanctions under this act. Before India signed the deal, the US tried to pressurize India to resist buying the S-400 Triumf anti-missile system from Russia – a country America considers as an adversary.

While attending a news conference in the Oval Office at the White House, when asked about if India will face American sanctions for the S-400 Triumf deal, Trump said, “India will find out. Aren’t they?” He repeated, “India is going to find out,” adding, “You will see … sooner than you think.”

The White House had, last week, said CAATSA is intended to “wean” countries like India off the Russian equipment.

A White House national security council spokesperson said, "The (CAATSA presidential) waiver is narrow, intended to wean countries off Russian equipment and allow for things such as spare parts for previously-purchased equipment.”

Earlier this week, a US embassy spokesperson had said CAATSA was “aimed at Moscow” and “not intended to damage the military capabilities of its allies and partners”.

Related