The United States House of Representatives approved an amendment to the National Defence Authorization Act (NDAA), paving the way for an India-specific waiver for the CAATSA sanctions.

The United States House of Representatives approved Indian-origin Congressman Ro Khanna’s amendment to the National Defence Authorization Act (NDAA) on Thursday, paving the way for an India-specific waiver for the CAATSA sanctions.

The amendment was passed by voice vote as part of an en bloc amendment during floor consideration of the NDAA. While it doesn’t equal a decision on Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), it urges the administration to grant a waiver.

Afterwards, Ro Khanna said that it will further strengthen US and India defense partnership.

“There is no relationship of greater significance to US strategic interests than the US-India partnership. My bipartisan NDAA amendment marks the most significant piece of legislation for US-India relations out of Congress since the US-India nuclear deal,” he said.

The Khanna amendment will affirm the United States’ partnership with India and urge the Biden administration to use their authority to provide India with a CAATSA waiver to help deter aggressors like China.