Jaishankar Raises India's Concerns Over Russia Sanctions in First Talks With Rubio

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar raised India's economic and strategic concerns over a newly enacted US law targeting buyers of Russian energy during talks with Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York, in the first official engagement between the two governments since the legislation was signed.

The bilateral meeting, held Wednesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session, came days after President Donald Trump signed the Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act (SRIA), which empowers Washington to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries that continue to purchase Russian oil and gas. India and China are among the largest buyers of Russian crude.

In a post on X, Jaishankar said he had reiterated India's interests and concerns regarding the SRIA, and that the two sides also discussed the situations in the Gulf and Ukraine. He is leading the Indian delegation to the 81st UNGA session.

Rubio said in his own post that the two countries were building on the US-India strategic partnership and coordinating on regional priorities and upcoming multilateral efforts. He is scheduled to travel to India next month.

New Delhi has said it remains firmly committed to ensuring energy security for its 1.4 billion people, and has warned of potential implications for the bilateral relationship with Washington.

The US measure lands at a delicate moment, with the two countries working to finalise a bilateral trade deal after months of negotiations.

From the US side, a State Department spokesperson said the sanctions on Russia were still moving through the legislative process and declined to comment on legislation before it is finalised. On the war in Ukraine, the spokesperson said Washington wants a durable peace between the parties, and that countries supporting the effort should consider whether they are making the situation worse. He described the India-US relationship as one of considerable importance.