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Context

• The US House of Representatives has passed by voice vote a legislative amendment that approves waiver to India against the punitive CAATSA sanctions for its purchase of the S-400 missile defence system from Russia.
• The amendment was authored and introduced by Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna.
• It had urged the Biden administration to use its authority to provide India with a CAATSA waiver to in the face of aggression from China.

What is the CAATSA?

• CAATSA is a law that came into effect in the US in 2017, meant to punish countries having deep engagements with Russia, North Korea, and Iran using economic sanctions.
• It said countries having a “significant transaction” with Russian intelligence and military agents will be subject to at least five kinds of sanctions.
• Ordinary transactions will not invite sanctions, and the decision of who has sanctions imposed on them comes down to the interpretation of “significant transaction”.
• This is one of the various waivers or exemptions mentioned, such as the transaction not affecting US strategic interests, not endangering the alliances it is a part of, etc.

Why did the US enact a law like CAATSA?

• The US flagged issues of Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 Presidential elections, and its role in the Syrian war as some of the reasons for punishing engagement with it.
• EU countries that had even more significant ties with Russia for oil and gas supply before the Ukraine-Russia conflict in 2022, had also criticised CAATSA.

Countries facing sanctions

• The US has placed sanctions on China and Turkey for purchase of the S-400.
• The sanctions included denial of export licences, ban on foreign exchange transactions, blocking of all property and interests in property within the US jurisdiction and a visa ban.

Reasons behind exemption to India

• CAATSA impacts Indo-US ties, and dents the image of the US as a reliable partner at a time when it is projecting India as a key player in its Indo-Pacific strategy.
• US administration for countries like India has favoured relief, citing the “strategic opportunity” that India presents, and also the opportunity “to trade in arms with India”.
• Indeed, the US defence industry sees India as a major market, over the last decade, deals with India have grown from near zero to $15 billion.
• Both in term of the number and value of contracts, the US is way ahead of other major suppliers.
• The CAATSA exemption also underlines the growing defence and security cooperation that has seen India sign a logistics pact with the US.
• Also US designated India as a Major Defence Partner, and both countries coming together on Indo-Pacific strategy, the newly resurrected Quad.
• It also marks an acceptance by the US of the point of principle that as a sovereign country, India cannot be dictated on its strategic interests by a third country.

Benefits to US by this waiver

• This connection is centred on an eventual ‘payback’ to the US for lifting the spectre of CAATSA, looming over New Delhi since 2018.
• India is procuring some 140-odd F/A-18s for both the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force for around $30-35 billion.
• Prospective F/A-18 sales would significantly boost the US economy, buffeted by unemployment and inflation running at 8.6%, its highest since 1981.
• The waiver amendment also urged the US to do more to support India’s decision to reduce its reliance on Russian-made weapons.

Why did India sign the S-400 deal?

• Security paradigm: S-400 is very important for India’s national security considerations due to the threats from China, Pakistan and now Afghanistan.
• Air defence capability: The system will also offset the air defence capability gaps due to the IAF’s dwindling fighter squadron strength.
• Russian legacy: Integrating the S-400 will be much easier as India has a large number of legacy Russian air defence systems.
• Strategic autonomy: For both political as well as operational reasons, the deal is at a point of no return.

Way forward

• The revision in bilateral ties is consistent with the prevailing strategic tone of bilateral ties.
• Through associations like Quad and, more recently, I2U2, strategic linkages have also been strengthened.
• India’s strategic interests require a shift away from Russians who are increasingly leaning over China.
• Following its invasion of Ukraine, Russia’s reliance on China has grown dramatically, and this position is considered unlikely to change in the near future.

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There is no doubt that UPSC Prelims could be the toughest stage. It is the great filter that weeds out the not-so-serious candidates but at times many serious ones too.

Santosh sir here in this video gives explains why you should start preparing for UPSC 2023 right now. He touches upon five variables/factors that a student must consider at this moment: The Time factor, Priorities, Efforts, Guidance/Mentorship, and the most important of all- Right approach. Watch the video below.

While there could be many reasons for failing in Prelims like insufficient syllabus coverage, mocks or test series not attempted, no proper planning, lack of conceptual understanding, etc but the major one is lack of guidance, preparation analysis, and course correction at regular intervals.

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1. Revising and covering syllabus through small measurable targets
2. Make Short and smart notes of most important and relevant keywords/topics
3. Attempting and analyzing past year UPSC Prelims papers (2000- 2022)
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Our Smash Prelims Program started as a pilot project last year with an aim to introduce step-wise improvement in our chosen 40 aspirants. Over a period of 2 months, Santhosh sir inculcated confidence in aspirants who were either newbies or gave too many attempts. This year, we achieved a remarkable 80% success ratio. This year, we have set our eyes on 100%. Yes, we are as ambitious and aspirational just like any other UPSC aspirant.

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About 6 pillared approach of Smash Prelims 2023

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Doubt clearance and continuous improvement

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About Santosh Gupta sir

Santosh Gupta sir has scored above 140 twice in UPSC prelims and always 120 plus in all 6 attempts. He wrote all 6 mains and appeared for Interviews 3 times. He has qualified UPSC EPFO and BPSC 56-59th also. He has been teaching and mentoring UPSC aspirants for the last 5 years.

What CivilsDaily’s Smash Prelims students have to say?

Testimonial: Success Stories of Smash Prelims 2022

From failing twice-thrice to clearing Prelims 2022

“We must never forget the lonely non-glamorous long hard work behind success”. It’s not a success story of ‘Proving’. It’s a story of ‘Improving’.

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Abhijit Ray was one of the mentorship and Samachar Manthan students under Sajal sir. After losing the first 3 attempts, he strongly realized that it’s a foolish act to overestimate yourself and think that even a non-serious effort will take you through. There is a thin line between confidence and arrogance. 

Current affairs are indispensable for every stage of the UPSC exam. Understanding the importance of current affairs is just one part of the UPSC puzzle. To solve the whole puzzle, there is no substitute for Samachar Manthan.

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About Abhijit- His UPSC journey + Hobbies

Name	Abhijit Ray
UPSC	2021
Rank	AIR 50
No. of Attempts	4
Attempt in 2018	couldn’t clear Prelims
2019	failed prelims again
2020	couldn’t clear Mains
2021	AIR-50. Get on the Final Merit list.
Optional Subject	Anthropology (in all the attempts)
Hobby	Composing Poem & recreational cycling

Before getting to Samachar Manthan under Sajal Sir in 2021. He had been facing failure consistently. He said that he couldn’t figure out the necessary things which are highly required to work on.

He came to know about Sajal Sir’s Samachar Manthan. As soon as he heard, he connected with Sajal Sir and joined without losing any more seconds.

👉Samachar Manthan Mentorship Call

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https://www.civilsdaily.com/course/samachar-manthan-yearly-2023-plus/

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In 2020, after joining SM, he received the remedial current affairs studies he had been looking for for 3 years. He attributed his success to the remedial advice of Sajal Sir under Samachar Manthan.

• CD’s team led by Sajal sir and Sudhanshu sir is there to provide handholding support all through your UPSC journey. Increased interaction with the faculty and teachers from Civilsdaily will help you align your preparation and make it more relevant. You can reach out to Sajal sir and other teachers on Habitat.
• Program’s focus is on conceptual clarity, simplicity, relevance, and making interlinkages between current affairs and basic/static part of the syllabus.
• Awesome mentorship-hand holding support.
• Sajal Sir’s guidance got him 10 times more likely to prepare for current affairs linking with the static part in a very short time. 
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He improved his marks drastically in this 2021 Mains. In a candid conversation with Siddhart sir, Abhijit shared his journey, motivations, up and downs, lessons learned, and his secret of what kept him going. Listen to his story.

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Abhijit believes whether it is UPSC prelims or Mains, to clear both stages it is your performance in that matters. Other than this “..you need clarity of vision”, says Abhijit, to keep yourself determined to your goal.

It is yet another validation of CivilsDaily’s vision and approach to personalized mentorship.