India and the United States discussed a potentially contentious issue in their bilateral ties on Wednesday, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar conveying New Delhi’s concerns over a newly enacted US law aimed at countries that continue to purchase Russian oil. Jaishankar raised the issue during a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The talks took place at a sensitive juncture in India-US relations, after the new US legislation granted President Donald Trump extensive powers to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries that continue buying Russian energy.
Jaishankar said the two ministers also exchanged views on the situation in the Gulf and the war in Ukraine as India and the US work to coordinate on broader regional and international matters.
“Good to meet @SecRubio of the US #UNHighLevelWeek. Reiterated India's interests and concerns with regard to SRIA (Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act). Also discussed the Gulf and Ukraine situations,” Jaishankar posted on X following the meeting.
(Photo: X/@DrSJaishankar)
WHY INDIA IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE NEW US LAW
The meeting took place days after Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 into law on September 18.
The law authorises the US President to levy tariffs of as much as 100 per cent on imports from nations that continue to purchase Russian oil and gas. India and China, both major consumers of Russian energy, could potentially be affected if Trump chooses to exercise these powers.
However, the legislation does not automatically subject India to a 100 per cent tariff. Instead, it gives the Trump administration the power to impose such duties.
The law also broadens sanctions against Russia’s energy and defence industries, along with networks accused of helping Moscow evade existing sanctions. Its wider aim is to increase economic pressure on Russia over the war in Ukraine.
The issue is particularly important for India because Russian crude has emerged as a significant component of the country’s energy imports. Any serious disruption in those supplies, or higher costs resulting from sanctions, could affect India’s energy security as well as its broader trade interests.
NEW DELHI: ENERGY SECURITY COMES FIRST
India has consistently maintained that its energy requirements must be taken into account when decisions are made regarding crude oil imports. Following the US legislation’s passage, the Ministry of External Affairs said it was closely watching developments and would take measures to safeguard the country’s economic interests.
“As stated on several earlier occasions, India remains firmly committed to ensuring energy security for its 1.4 billion people,” the MEA said.
“It will continue to do so through diversified sourcing and on the basis of evolving market dynamics,” the ministry added. It also pointed out that the issue had been raised during high-level discussions between India and the US in recent months.
“The issue has been discussed at high levels in recent months with various US interlocutors,” the MEA said.
“Its potential implications for not just the bilateral relationship but also the international energy market have been very clearly articulated by the Indian side,” it added.
WHAT RUBIO SAID AFTER MEETING JAISHANKAR?
Rubio adopted a more upbeat tone following his meeting with Jaishankar, focusing on the broader strategic partnership between India and the US.
“Great to meet with Indian External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar in New York today. Together, we are building on the US-India strategic partnership and coordinating on key regional priorities and upcoming multilateral efforts,” Rubio posted on X.
Neither India nor the US publicly disclosed details of any specific agreement or understanding regarding the new sanctions legislation.
Jaishankar and Rubio have remained in regular contact over various areas of bilateral cooperation. The two ministers also met in Manila in July, where their discussions covered trade, tariffs, energy, defence, critical minerals and artificial intelligence.
According to the US State Department’s account of that meeting, both sides had also underlined the need to conclude an interim India-US trade agreement.
The latest New York meeting therefore comes amid a broader set of challenges. While Washington is attempting to increase economic pressure on Russia by targeting its energy revenues, New Delhi remains focused on safeguarding its energy supplies and wider economic interests.
The key issue now is how the Trump administration chooses to exercise the powers provided by the new legislation and whether its approach will have an impact on India’s ongoing purchases of Russian energy.
