External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar raised India’s concerns about new US legislation targeting countries that purchase Russian oil and gas during his meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York on September 23. The discussion took place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly’s high-level week, where senior officials from around the world gathered for diplomatic engagements.
Jaishankar said after the meeting that he had reiterated India’s interests and concerns regarding the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, commonly referred to as SRIA. The legislation gives the United States authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on imports from certain countries that continue purchasing Russian energy.
The potential measures are significant for India because the country is a major buyer of Russian crude oil. If the tariff provisions were applied to Indian trade, they could affect Indian exports to the US and introduce another challenge for the two countries as they work on a trade agreement.
The issue comes after the US previously imposed a 25% tariff on India in connection with its purchases of Russian oil. That additional tariff was later withdrawn in February. The latest legislation has therefore emerged as another issue in discussions between New Delhi and Washington.
Rubio’s public statement following his meeting with Jaishankar did not specifically refer to SRIA. Instead, the US secretary of state said the two countries were continuing to strengthen their strategic partnership while coordinating on regional priorities and upcoming multilateral engagements.
Beyond the sanctions legislation, Jaishankar said the two officials discussed developments in the Gulf and Ukraine. Energy security was particularly relevant amid disruptions affecting the Strait of Hormuz following the Israel-US attack on Iran. The situation has affected shipping routes and carries implications for India because of its reliance on oil supplies from the Gulf region.
The meeting was part of a broader series of diplomatic engagements undertaken by Jaishankar during the UN General Assembly’s high-level week in New York. His discussions with international counterparts have covered India’s strategic, economic and energy interests as global developments continue to influence trade and regional security.
For India, the potential impact of US measures on Russian energy purchases remains closely connected to both energy security and bilateral trade. The Jaishankar-Rubio meeting brought those issues into the broader framework of the evolving India-US strategic relationship.
