Rubio and Jaishankar Discuss US Sanctions Bill as India Voices Concerns

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar met in New York on Wednesday to discuss American sanctions that could target countries engaging economically with Russia and Iran, with New Delhi restating its concerns about a recently enacted US law.

The legislation, signed by President Donald Trump last week, is named the "Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026" after the late South Carolina Republican senator. It was passed by Congress and is intended to increase economic pressure on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, which began in early 2022.

According to the State Department, the two diplomats discussed penalties that could be imposed on states maintaining economic ties with Russia and Iran. Jaishankar said on X that he "reiterated India's interests and concerns with regard to SRIA."

India has previously conveyed to Washington that new tariff measures linked to Russian oil purchases could affect bilateral relations. The law requires Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% within 30 days on goods imported into the US from the five largest buyers of Russian crude oil or gas, as well as any country that knowingly made new purchases of oil or gas 30 days after the law took effect or was among the top five nations helping Russia evade sanctions.

India is one of the largest purchasers of Russian oil. After the invasion of Ukraine, it sharply increased imports of discounted Russian crude. Those purchases were partly behind Trump's decision in August 2025 to impose tariffs of as much as 50% on Indian goods, among the steepest levied on any country.

In February, Trump rolled back those duties, citing what he described as India's commitment to halt Russian oil purchases. However, New Delhi only briefly reduced its imports from Russia in early 2026, and they have since risen again, particularly after the supply shock that followed the US-Israeli war on Iran.

India maintains that its large population and growing economy require affordable energy supplies. Indian analysts argue that the country's purchases of Russian oil were not financing the war in Ukraine but helping to stabilize global supplies and keep domestic prices in check.