India Says All Options Under Review After U.S. Congress Passes Russia Sanctions Bill
New Delhi — India said Thursday that it is considering all necessary measures to protect its trade and economic interests after the U.S. Congress passed legislation allowing tariffs of up to 100% on goods from major buyers of Russian energy.
The Ministry of External Affairs said the government had taken note of the passage of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 and was monitoring further developments.
“As stated on several earlier occasions, India remains firmly committed to ensuring energy security for its 1.4 billion people. It will continue to do so through diversified sourcing and on the basis of evolving market dynamics,” the ministry said.
The MEA said the issue had been discussed at senior levels with U.S. officials in recent months and that India had communicated the potential implications for bilateral relations and international energy markets.
The ministry said India had also made clear that it would take necessary measures to protect its trade and economic interests and would work with Indian trade and industry groups to address any effects of the legislation.
The U.S. House passed the sanctions legislation 262-159 on Wednesday, following an 86-11 Senate vote on Aug. 7. The measure now goes to President Donald Trump.
The legislation is aimed at increasing economic pressure on Russia over its war in Ukraine and includes sanctions targeting Russian officials, financial institutions and energy interests, as well as entities supporting Russian military operations.
It also includes provisions covering countries that purchase Russian-origin crude oil or natural gas or facilitate sanctions evasion. The Senate rejected an amendment that would have removed those tariff provisions.
Under the measure, tariffs of up to 100% could be imposed on goods from countries covered by the Russian oil and gas purchase provisions.
The legislation also includes an exemption for countries whose purchases of Russian natural gas account for less than 15% of Russia’s total gas exports and that are taking significant steps to reduce those imports, according to Sen. Katie Britt’s office.
The legislation does not itself establish an India-specific tariff rate. (Source: IANS)
