How can India avert the US sanctions following the mega million S-400 Triumf deal? Ahead of the deadline, there are reports that Washington has offered a solution to New Delhi.
According to an Indian Express report, the US has told India to buy the F-16 fighter jets to avoid the sanctions.
However, the report also added that this offer was made earlier in October and not during the meeting between Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her US counterpart James Mattis in Singapore recently.
It should be noted that the waiver report comes days after US President Donald Trump had cryptically said that ‘India will soon find out’ about his decision of the sanctions.
Under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act or CAATSA sanctions, which was amended early this year, only Trump has the authority for the presidential waiver to India on weapons deal with sanctions-hit Russia.
India inked a $5 billion deal to purchase S-400 Triumf air defence system from Moscow. The mega deal was sealed in New Delhi during the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin for the annual summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Asked about the agreement between India and Russia, Trump while interacting with reporters in the Oval Office of the White House, said, "India will find out. Aren't they?"
‘India is going to find out,’ he reiterated in response to India specific question.
Asked when, he said, "You will see. Sooner than you think."
The White House had also said that the US presidential waiver on weapons deal with sanctions-hit Russia is intended to "wean" countries like India off the Russian equipment.
"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," a White House National Security Council Spokesperson had said after the conclusion of the S-400 contract.
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