The US House of Representatives has approved legislation that recommends an India-specific waiver under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), thus deepening defence ties between both the democracies and help deter aggressors like China.
The House approved the measure, offered by Democratic Representative Congressman Ro Khanna, an Indian-American Congressman and a member of the House Armed Services Act, as an amendment to the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by 330 to 99
However, this amendment is several steps from becoming law. After the House passage of the NDAA - the Senate must approve its version. Then lawmakers must reach a compromise version of the legislation, which authorizes more than USD 800 billion in defense spending, before voting again later this year.
This monumental amendment marks the most significant piece of legislation for US and India relations out of Congress since the US and India nuclear deal, according to a statement released by Khanna.
“The United States must stand with India in the face of escalating aggression from China. As Vice Chair of the India Caucus, I have been working to strengthen the partnership between our countries and ensure that India can defend itself along the Indian Chinese border,” said Representative Khanna.
“This amendment is of the utmost importance, and I am proud to see it pass the House on a bipartisan basis.”
He said that the India-US partnership, rooted in shared democratic values, is critical in order to advance United States interests in the Indo-Pacific region; and this partnership between the world’s oldest and largest democracies is critical and must continue to be strengthened in response to increasing threats in the Indo-Pacific regions, sending an unequivocal signal that sovereignty and international law must be respected.
(ANI)