"Closely following": MEA on US bill seeking 100% tariff on India, others due to Russian oil purchase
New Delhi, July 18
The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday said New Delhi is "closely following" developments related to a proposed US legislation targeting five countries, including India, for their purchase of Russian oil, seeking 100 per cent tariffs on these countries.
Addressing a weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the government is aware of the proposed legislation and is monitoring the situation.
He reiterated that India's crude oil imports are guided by its energy security requirements and broader sourcing strategy, noting that New Delhi has multiple suppliers across the world.
"We are closely following these developments, and we are aware of the proposed legislation," Jaiswal said.
"As far as buying oil, we buy oil from various countries in the world. It is based on our approach towards energy sourcing," he added.
Referring to maritime traffic in the region, he said there is regular movement of Indian vessels between India and the Persian Gulf.
"On the number of Indian vessels which are there in the Persian Gulf, as of today, we have, there is regular traffic between India and the Persian Gulf region; we have seven Indian ships which are there in the Persian Gulf, Indian flagships which are there in the Persian Gulf," the MEA Spokesperson added.
MEA's response comes after a bipartisan group of more than 60 US Senators introduced revised legislation to impose sweeping sanctions on Russia, replacing the earlier proposal for blanket tariffs with targeted measures aimed at the world's largest buyers of Russian energy.
The revised bill, "Senator Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026", introduced after the death of Senator Lindsey Graham, holds major purchasers of Russian oil and gas accountable for supporting Russia's war in Ukraine.
According to an official release, the revised bill "refines tariff authority from a blanket 500 per cent tariff to tariffs on the top five purchasers of Russian crude oil and natural gas of upto 100 per cent," while creating an exception for countries importing less than 15 per cent of Russia's natural gas exports that are taking significant steps to reduce those imports.
The overview of the key changes said that the revised legislation also "adds new authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on the top five countries facilitating Russian oil sanctions evasion."
The legislation, initially introduced by Senator Graham and Senator Blumenthal in April 2025, aimed to cut off Russian President Vladimir Putin's revenue streams used to fund the war in Ukraine by mandating sanctions on Russia's political leadership, financial institutions, and energy sector.
Jaiswal also responded to a query on reported US military strikes on Iran's Chabahar port, stating that the "terminal itself did not face any damage."
"If you have been following the issue, there was a waiver which was given by America; that waiver got over some time back. Post that, we have been in discussion with relevant stakeholders as to how to take this particular issue forward. On the question of it being attacked, yes, we have seen some reports in that regard, but we can also tell you that the terminal itself did not face any damage," he stated.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally some sensible diplomacy from MEA. We need to balance our relationships - we can't just cut off Russia because America says so. But honestly, I hope our government is also thinking long-term about reducing dependence on any single country for energy. Diversification is key, and this Chabahar port situation shows we need more options.
As an American, I apologize for this nonsense. Our senators think they can bully everyone into submission. India is a sovereign nation and has every right to buy oil from whoever offers the best price. The fact that over 60 senators backed this shows how out of touch Washington is with global realities. India should continue its independent foreign policy.
This is the classic American game - they want everyone to follow their rules while they do whatever they want. Remember when USA sanctioned Iran but gave waivers to Iraq? Same script. India should firmly tell Washington that our energy needs are non-negotiable. Also good to see MEA confirming no damage to Chabahar terminal - that port is crucial for Afghanistan trade.
Why is India always trying to please everyone? First we buy Russian oil, then we talk to America. Pick a side or become truly independent! Russian oil might be cheap but the geopolitical cost is too high. Also the 15% exception shows there's room to negotiate - our government should use this to get a waiver while slowly reducing imports. But I doubt they have the spine.
I'm Canadian and I think this is ridiculous. The US wants to tax countries for buying Russian oil while America has been the world's largest oil producer? Hypocrisy at its finest. India is doing what
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