The United States has addressed India’s concerns regarding the potential impact of the proposed Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act on their bilateral relations, ensuring there are “no hard feelings” over New Delhi’s reaction to the legislation. This proposed law could lead to tariffs as high as 100% on major purchasers of Russian energy, a category that includes India due to its significant oil imports from Russia.
A senior official from the US State Department acknowledged India’s position and its need to respond to the legislation, especially following criticisms from several US lawmakers about India’s energy dealings with Russia. India’s Ministry of External Affairs has expressed apprehension that the law could affect the India-US relationship and disrupt global energy markets, highlighting concerns over its energy security.
The legislation proposes a national security waiver, allowing the US president the discretion to exempt certain countries from these sanctions under specific conditions. While the US official did not specify if India would be granted such a waiver, it was noted that the provision could be applied based on national security evaluations.
The issue was a point of discussion during a meeting between India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The US has indicated support for countries like India that are looking to diversify their energy sources in response to their substantial energy needs.
Additionally, the US official highlighted ongoing cooperation between the two nations through initiatives like the Quad. Rubio’s planned visit to India in October is expected to further these discussions and reinforce bilateral ties.