The United States has addressed India’s concerns regarding a proposed sanctions law targeting Russia, emphasizing that there are “no hard feelings” about New Delhi’s apprehensions. The Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, if enacted, could impose tariffs of up to 100% on major purchasers of Russian energy, potentially impacting India, one of the largest buyers of Russian oil.
A senior official from the US State Department acknowledged India’s position and the need to respond to the legislation, especially after some US lawmakers criticized India’s continued purchase of Russian energy. India’s Ministry of External Affairs has warned that the proposed sanctions could affect both the India-US relationship and the broader global energy markets. New Delhi has previously communicated its concerns to US officials, highlighting the potential threat to its energy security.
The legislation does include a national security waiver, allowing the US president to exempt countries from certain measures under specific circumstances. While it remains unclear if India would qualify for such a waiver, the US official indicated that the provision could be employed based on national security considerations.
The issue was further discussed during a meeting between India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. During the discussions, Washington expressed willingness to support nations like India in diversifying their energy sources to meet significant energy demands.
Despite the tension over the proposed sanctions, the US official highlighted ongoing cooperation between the two countries through initiatives such as the Quad. Additionally, Secretary Rubio’s upcoming visit to India in October was noted as an opportunity to strengthen bilateral ties further.