New Delhi has taken its concerns directly to Capitol Hill as Washington moves toward implementing measures that could hit major importers of Russian energy
India has directly appealed to US lawmakers over new sanctions that could expose major buyers of Russian crude to tariffs of up to 100% as New Delhi seeks to protect its energy security.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri discussed the recently enacted Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 (SRIA) with a bipartisan US Congressional delegation led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast in New Delhi on Sunday. Energy security was also part of the talks.
The law – which its original sponsor, the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, called the “sanctions bill from hell” – gives Washington authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on imports from countries that continue purchasing Russian energy.
It does not automatically impose those duties on Indian goods, with their application subject to conditions under the legislation and a decision by US President Donald Trump.
New Delhi had already raised the issue at ministerial level last week, when Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York. Jaishankar conveyed India’s economic and strategic concerns over the sanctions measure, while Rubio said Washington was “well-positioned to help regional partners address their energy security challenges.”
India is particularly exposed because it imports more than 88% of its crude requirements and Russia remains its largest supplier. Russian shipments stood at around 2.1 million barrels per day (bpd) in August and were tracking at roughly 1.9 million bpd in September, according to preliminary data.
New Delhi has repeatedly defended its purchases as necessary to ensure affordable and reliable energy for its 1.4 billion people. After Congress passed the legislation, India said it remained “firmly committed” to energy security through diversified sourcing and warned Washington about potential implications for bilateral ties and international energy markets.
Washington has meanwhile been positioning itself as a larger energy supplier to India. US crude supplies to India averaged about 177,000 barrels per day (bpd) during January-August, making it the country’s sixth-largest supplier over the period. The US has also become India’s largest supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG), with Indian imports rising 172% year-on-year in April-July to 2.39 million tons.
India has maintained that its energy purchases will continue to be guided by national requirements, market conditions, and supply availability, rather than dependence on any single source.
