The United States has acknowledged India’s concerns over a proposed sanctions law targeting Russia, emphasizing that there are “no hard feelings” between the two nations. The Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, which could impose tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian energy, has the potential to impact India due to its significant purchases of Russian oil.
A senior official from the US State Department stated that Washington understands India’s position and the need to address the legislation, particularly after public criticism from some US lawmakers regarding India’s energy transactions with Russia. India’s Ministry of External Affairs has cautioned that the legislation might affect both the bilateral relationship and global energy markets, emphasizing the importance of India’s energy security.
The legislation includes a national security waiver that allows the US president to exempt certain countries from specific measures under particular circumstances. While it remains unclear if India would receive such a waiver, the US official highlighted that the provision could be applied based on national security considerations.
This issue was a topic of discussion during a meeting between India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The US expressed support for countries seeking to diversify their energy sources, acknowledging India’s ongoing energy requirements.
The US official also highlighted the continued cooperation between the US and India through multilateral platforms like the Quad. Additionally, Secretary of State Rubio is scheduled to visit India in October, further underscoring the ongoing diplomatic engagement between the two nations.