New Delhi: After the US House of Representatives approved a bill imposing new sanctions on Russia, India has said it will take all necessary steps to protect its trade and economic interests. This bill could pave the way for imposing additional tariffs of up to 100% on major countries buying oil from Russia.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the government is closely monitoring developments and ensuring energy security for the country’s 1.4 billion people remains its priority.
India will not compromise on energy security
The Ministry of External Affairs stated that India will continue to purchase energy from diverse sources, taking into account changing market conditions.
The Ministry stated that India is clear about taking all necessary steps to protect its trade and economic interests. The government will work closely with Indian trade and industry organizations to address the impact of this issue.
US House Approves Russia Sanctions Bill
The US House of Representatives approved the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 by a vote of 262-159.
Under this legislation, the US administration could impose tariffs of up to 100% on major countries that buy oil from Russia. Potentially affected countries include India, China, Slovakia, Hungary, and Azerbaijan.
This bill was previously approved by a large majority in the US Senate on August 7th. It will now go to President Donald Trump.
India had already expressed concerns to the US
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, high-level discussions have taken place with US officials on this issue over the past few months.
India has conveyed its concerns to the US regarding the potential impact of the proposed measures. India has stated that this could impact not only India-US relations but also the international energy market.
Russia remains India’s largest source of oil and gas. However, in order to diversify its energy sources, India has also increased its purchases from the US and Venezuela in recent months.
Russia was the source of 51.1% of India’s crude oil in July
According to the economic think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI),51.1% of India’s crude oil imports in July came from Russia.
GTRI’s Ajay Srivastava stated that India could face the possibility of additional tariffs of up to 100% from the US for purchasing oil from Russia. According to him, the US could use the threat of these tariffs to pressure India to reduce its oil purchases from Russia.