Jaishankar flags India’s concerns over Russian oil tariff law in talks with Rubio at UNGA

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Wednesday raised India’s concerns over a new US sanctions law that gives President Donald Trump the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on major buyers of Russian oil and gas during a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

The meeting came days after Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, sharpening pressure on countries that continue to purchase Russian energy. India is among the world’s largest buyers of Russian crude and could potentially be exposed to the tariffs if the Trump administration invokes the new powers. The legislation does not specifically name India as a target.

India flags concerns

“Good to meet @SecRubio of the US during #UNHighLevelWeek. Reiterated India’s interests and concerns with regard to SRIA. Also discussed the Gulf and Ukraine situations,” Jaishankar said after the meeting.

Rubio, meanwhile, said the two countries were building on their strategic partnership and coordinating on regional priorities and upcoming multilateral engagements.

The talks put the sanctions legislation directly on the agenda of high-level India-US engagement after New Delhi had earlier warned that the measure could have implications not only for bilateral relations but also for the international energy market.

India has maintained that its energy purchases are determined by national interest, availability, affordability and market conditions. After the US Congress cleared the legislation, the Ministry of External Affairs said India remained committed to securing energy supplies for its 1.4 billion people and would take necessary measures to protect its trade and economic interests.

Tariffs of up to 100%

The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act gives the US President expanded authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on imports from the five largest purchasers of Russian crude oil and natural gas.

The US Senate had passed the legislation by an 86-11 vote on August 7, while the House approved it 262-159 last week before Trump signed it into law.

India and China are among the major purchasers that could come within its ambit based on current Russian energy import volumes. The law, however, gives the US President discretion over the use of the tariff powers rather than automatically imposing a 100 per cent levy.

Trump indicated at the UN General Assembly this week that he was prepared to use the powers if necessary as part of Washington’s efforts to increase economic pressure on Moscow and push for an end to the Ukraine war.

The legislation has consequently emerged as another potential point of friction between New Delhi and Washington, even as the two sides continue engagement across trade, defence, energy, technology and strategic issues.

Energy security at stake

India’s concerns are closely tied to its dependence on imported crude and the potential consequences of abruptly changing suppliers. Russian crude became an important part of India’s oil basket after the Ukraine war reshaped global energy flows, with Indian refiners purchasing Russian barrels when they were commercially attractive.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Tuesday also cautioned that India could not simply stop purchasing Russian crude and switch the entire requirement to alternative suppliers without consequences for global prices. A sudden shift by a large consumer such as India could increase demand for a limited pool of crude from other suppliers, potentially driving up prices.

New Delhi has repeatedly maintained that ensuring affordable energy for Indian consumers remains central to its oil-purchasing decisions.

The Jaishankar-Rubio meeting also covered the situations in Ukraine and the Gulf, two regions with direct implications for global energy markets and India’s economic and strategic interests.

The two ministers had last met in Manila in July, when their discussions included trade, tariffs, energy, defence, critical minerals and artificial intelligence. Wednesday’s talks came as both sides continued to manage differences over Russian energy while seeking to preserve the broader strategic partnership.