US will face consequences for sanctioning India; US thinktank warns

Washington – The United States has not abandoned the thought of imposing sanctions against India to purchase the S-400 air defence systems from Russia. US defence headquarters Pentagon has given such indications. But the US thinktank ‘Stimson Centre’ has warned ‘The United States itself will face serious consequences if it imposed sanctions against India. The cooperation developing between the United States and India will be set back by at least ten years.’ Similar warnings have been issued to the Biden administration by US lawmakers, former-serving military and diplomatic officials.

The United States imposed strict sanctions against China and Turkey for purchasing the S-400 air defence system from Russia. Under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), the United States can impose sanctions on countries purchasing weapons from the adversaries of the United States. At the same time, the law also permits the administration to exempt certain countries. The US lawmakers have appealed to the Biden administration to avoid the imposition of sanctions against India. However, the Biden administration is issuing threats of imposing sanctions against India. The US analysts and scholars have taken cognisance of this.

Stimson Centre, a renowned US thinktank, has warned the Biden administration that the sanctions imposed against India will prove detrimental for the United States itself. The thinktank has made the Biden administration aware of the frank reality through the ‘Towards a Mature Defence Relationship’ report. The report recommends that the United States entirely exempt India or impose just symbolic sanctions without severe consequences. The report further notes that even while imposing these symbolic sanctions, the Biden administration should hold talks with the Indian leadership and ensure no strong reaction from India.

With the threat of a conflict with China looming, India expects cooperation from the United States. The report says that the United States should not make the mistake of imposing sanctions against India in this scenario. Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to visit India on 6th December. It is being said that Two-Plus-Two between India and Russia will follow this. Publication of this report, warning the Biden administration at this juncture, is a very suggestive development.

The United States had imposed sanctions against Turkey and China when these two counties purchased the S-400 system from Russia. Pakistani analysts have claimed that the United States is hesitant to impose sanctions against India, which only underlines the increasing Indian influence. The Chinese government media are accusing that this only shows the discriminatory US policies. Senior US officials are demanding that the sanctions should not be imposed, considering that long-standing defence cooperation between India and Russia and India cannot suddenly back out from the relationship. The Biden administration is also aware of this, but as per the Indian analysts, these warnings are being issued only to pressure India and extract benefits for the United States.