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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline JULY 22, 2022 | The Indian Eye 19

transition off Russian-built weapons has not made a final decision on
and defense systems while strongly sanctions on India for its acquisition
supporting India’s immediate de- of the S-400 missile system from
fense needs. Russia under the CAATSA.
While addressing the House of The American politician with
Representatives, Khanna lauded Indian heritage pointed out that a
the US-India Initiative on Critical strong United States-India defense
and Emerging Technologies (ICET) partnership is rooted in shared dem-
which was announced during the ocratic values and is critical in order
Tokyo summit between President to advance United States interests
Joe Biden and Prime Minister Na- in the Indo-Pacific region.
rendra Modi as an “essential step” Khanna has introduced an
to formulate closer ties between the amendment that said, “US should
two nations in artificial intelligence, take additional steps to encourage
quantum computing, biotechnology, India to accelerate India’s transi-
aerospace, and semiconductor man- tion of Russian-built weapons and
ufacturing. defense systems while strongly sup-
While India faces an immediate porting India’s immediate defense
need to maintain its heavily Rus- needs.”
sian-built weapons systems, a waiver Khanna said, “India relies on
to sanctions under the Countering Russian-built weapons for its na-
America’s Adversaries Through tional defense, and the United
Sanctions Act during this transi- States should take additional steps.”
tion period is in the best interests In a proposal to an amendment
of the United States and the United of Rules Committee Print 117-54,
States-India defense partnership to the Democrat leader and US repre-
deter aggressors in light of Russia sentative from California said that
and China’s close partnership. “while India faces immediate needs
Under the CAATSA, the US im- to maintain its heavily Russian-built
poses sanctions on those countries weapons systems, a waiver to sanc-
that have “significant transactions tions under the Countering 3 Amer-
with Iran, North Korea or Russia”. ica’s Adversaries Through Sanctions
India had inked the USD 5.43 Act during this 4-transition period
billion deal with Russia for five is in the best interests of the Unit-
squadrons of S-400s in October ed States and the US-India defense
2018. Although as per a top official partnership to deter aggressors in
under President Joe Biden’s admin- light of Russia and China’s close
istration earlier, the United States partnership.”

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