US and Indian top diplomats discuss Russia sanctions bill signed by Trump

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar discussed on Wednesday in New York US measures that could target countries engaging economically with Russia and Iran.

New Delhi reiterated concerns over the Russia sanctions bill President Donald Trump recently signed into law.

Is the US putting sanctions on India under the Russia sanctions bill?

The bill requires Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% within 30 days on goods from the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or gas. It also covers countries that knowingly made new purchases 30 days after enactment or ranked among the top five helping Russia evade sanctions. India is among the biggest buyers of Russian oil.

Trump signed the "Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026" last week. The bill is named after deceased South Carolina Republican US Senator Lindsey Graham. Passed by the US Congress, it paved the way for increased economic pressure on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine that began in early 2022.

What did Rubio and Jaishankar say after their meeting in New York?

Rubio and Jaishankar "discussed sanctions that could be leveled against states that engage economically with Russia and Iran," the State Department said in a statement after their meeting. Jaishankar wrote on X he "reiterated India's interests and concerns with regard to SRIA."

India has previously told Washington that new measures to levy tariffs over the purchase of Russian oil could impact bilateral ties.

Why does India buy Russian oil?

After Russia invaded Ukraine, India sharply increased purchases of discounted Russian crude. The stepped-up purchases were partly the reason Trump imposed tariffs of as much as 50% on Indian goods in August 2025, among the steepest levied on any country.

In February, Trump rolled back those duties, citing what he said was India's commitment to halt Russian oil purchases. But New Delhi only briefly reduced purchases from Russia in early 2026. They have since jumped, especially since the supply shock that followed the US-Israeli war on Iran.

India says its large population and growing economy need affordable energy supplies. Indian analysts say India's purchases of Russian oil were not financing the war on Ukraine but helping stabilize global supplies and keeping domestic prices in check.