The United States has addressed India’s apprehensions regarding the potential impact of the proposed Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act on bilateral relations. This legislation, which could impose tariffs as high as 100% on major buyers of Russian energy, has raised concerns in India due to its significant imports of Russian oil. Despite these concerns, a senior US State Department official assured that there were “no hard feelings” over New Delhi’s reaction to the proposed law.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs had previously expressed that the sanctions could affect both the India-US relationship and global energy markets. The US official acknowledged India’s necessity to respond, especially following criticisms from some US lawmakers about India’s energy purchases from Russia. Furthermore, India has engaged in discussions with US officials to highlight the potential consequences of additional sanctions on its energy security.
Included in the legislation is a national security waiver, which allows the US president to exempt certain countries from specific measures if deemed necessary. While it remains uncertain whether India would receive such a waiver, the US official noted the possibility of using this provision based on national security considerations.
This issue was also a topic of discussion during a meeting between India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The talks underscored the US’s willingness to support countries looking to diversify their energy supplies, acknowledging India’s significant energy needs. In addition, the official highlighted the ongoing cooperation between both nations through initiatives like the Quad and mentioned Rubio’s upcoming visit to India in October.
