Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar raised New Delhi’s concerns over new U.S. sanctions legislation targeting countries that maintain significant economic ties with Russia and Iran during talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York on Wednesday.
The discussions focused in part on the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, recently signed into law by U.S. President Donald Trump. According to the U.S. State Department, Rubio and Jaishankar discussed potential sanctions against countries that continue certain economic dealings with Russia and Iran. Jaishankar said separately that he reiterated India’s “interests and concerns” regarding the legislation.
The law increases Washington’s ability to apply economic pressure on Russia over its war in Ukraine. It requires the U.S. president to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on goods from the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or natural gas. Countries making certain new Russian energy purchases after the law took effect, as well as major jurisdictions identified as helping Russia evade sanctions, could also face measures.
The legislation has particular significance for India, which became one of the largest purchasers of Russian crude after Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. New Delhi sharply increased imports of discounted Russian oil, arguing that affordable energy supplies are necessary to meet the demands of its large population and growing economy.
India’s Russian energy purchases have previously been a source of friction with Washington. Trump imposed tariffs of as much as 50 per cent on Indian goods in August 2025, with Russian oil purchases cited as part of the dispute. Those duties were rolled back in February 2026 after Trump said India had committed to ending Russian oil purchases.
India briefly reduced Russian imports in early 2026, but purchases subsequently increased, particularly following disruptions to global energy supplies linked to the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. New Delhi has maintained that its energy policy is driven by national economic and energy-security considerations, while Indian analysts have argued that Russian crude imports have helped stabilize supplies and limit domestic energy costs.
