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India's S-400 purchase and the sanctions question
Summary
A look back at the October 2018 reports of India buying Russian air defence and the US sanctions law that might apply.
What did India's purchase of a Russian missile system mean for its relations with Washington? On 11 October 2018, that question was live. Days earlier, on 5 October 2018, it was reported that India was buying the S-400 missile system, part of Russia's defence industry exports, and could face US sanctions under CAATSA.
The law behind the risk
CAATSA, the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, imposed sanctions on Iran, North Korea and Russia. It works by preventing US companies from doing business with sanctioned entities. The Senate passed it on 27 July 2017 by 98–2, after the House approved it 419–3. President Donald Trump signed it into law on 2 August 2017, though he believed the legislation was seriously flawed.
Why it mattered
The S-400 deal put a Russian defence export on a collision course with a US sanctions statute. India's potential exposure to CAATSA meant a purchase from Russia could carry consequences in its dealings with the United States. As of 11 October 2018, the report described that exposure as a possibility, not a settled outcome.
