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What India's S-400 purchase meant for CAATSA
Summary
A look back at how a Russian air-defence deal put India in the path of US sanctions law.
What did India's purchase of the Russian S-400 missile system mean for its relations with Washington? On 10 October 2018, the question was live. As reported on 5 October 2018, India had bought the S-400, a product of the Russian defence industry, and the deal potentially exposed it to US sanctions under CAATSA.
The law in question
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 votes to 2, after the House approved it 419 to 3. President Donald Trump signed it into law on 2 August 2017, though he believed the legislation was seriously flawed.
Why it mattered
The link was straightforward: a major purchase of Russian military hardware by India potentially fell within the reach of a US law aimed at Russia. As of 10 October 2018, the potential exposure was the key point. Whether sanctions would actually be applied to India remained open.
