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India Defends Affordable Energy Needs Amid US Bill Threatening Russian Oil Imports

India has responded to a proposed US bill that seeks to impose a 500% duty on countries purchasing Russian oil, emphasizing its commitment to securing affordable energy for its population. Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated India is closely monitoring the developments while being guided by global market dynamics and energy security needs. The bill, endorsed by former US President Donald Trump according to Senator Lindsey Graham, aims to leverage countries like India, China, and Brazil to stop financing Russia's actions in Ukraine. India's stance reiterates its long-standing position on sourcing energy from diverse origins to meet domestic requirements.

Key Points: India Responds to US Bill on Russian Oil, Prioritizes Affordable Energy

  • India prioritizes affordable energy security
  • Reacts to US bill proposing 500% duty
  • Bill aims to punish buyers of Russian oil
  • India monitors developments closely
3 min read

India prioritises "affordable energy" for its 1.4 billion people: MEA on US bill to levy 500% duty on nations buying Russian oil

India's MEA states securing affordable energy for 1.4 billion people is imperative, reacting to a US bill proposing a 500% duty on Russian oil buyers.

"We are guided by the imperative to secure affordable energy for our 1.4 billion people. - Randhir Jaiswal, MEA Spokesperson"

New Delhi, January 9

Responding to a proposed bill in the United States Congress that seeks to impose a 500 per cent duty on countries continuing to purchase Russian oil, India on Friday said it remains guided by the imperative of securing "affordable energy" for its 1.4 billion people amid evolving global market dynamics.

Reacting to the proposed legislation, Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Randhir Jaiswal, said that New Delhi is aware of the bill and is closely monitoring developments.

"We are aware of the proposed bill. We are closely following the developments," Jaiswal said during a weekly press briefing.

Reiterating India's long-standing position on energy sourcing, Jaiswal underlined that New Delhi's decisions are driven by energy security needs and market realities.

"Our position on the larger question of energy sourcing is well known. In this endeavour, we are guided by the evolving dynamics of the global market and by the imperative to secure affordable energy for our 1.4 billion people through diverse sources to meet the energy security needs," the statement said.

MEA's reponse comes days after US Senator Lindsey Graham said that US President Donald Trump has given a green light to the bipartisan Russia Sanctions Bill, which would give leverage against India, China, and Brazil to stop them from purchasing Russian oil and punish the countries "fuelling Putin's war machine".

In a post on X on Wednesday, Graham said the move comes amid ongoing peace negotiations for Ukraine and hinted it would go to a bipartisan vote next week.

"After a very productive meeting today with President Trump on a variety of issues, he greenlit the bipartisan Russia sanctions bill that I have been working on for months with Senator Blumenthal and many others. This will be well-timed, as Ukraine is making concessions for peace and Putin is all talk, continuing to kill the innocent. This bill will allow President Trump to punish those countries who buy cheap Russian oil fueling Putin's war machine," Graham said in his post.

"This bill would give President Trump tremendous leverage against countries like China, India and Brazil to incentivize them to stop buying the cheap Russian oil that provides the financing for Putin's bloodbath against Ukraine. I look forward to a strong bipartisan vote, hopefully as early as next week," he added.

As per the official website of the US Congress, the bill titled "Sanctioning of Russia Act 2025" seeks to impose several provisions, which include penalties on individuals and entities, including an increase of the rate of duty on all goods and services imported from Russia into the United States to at least 500 per cent relative to the value of such goods and services.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
It's interesting to see the US framing this as punishing those "fuelling Putin's war machine," but the reality is more complex. India has to balance geopolitical pressures with the very real need to keep its economy running and its people's lights on. The MEA's pragmatic approach makes sense.
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Priya S
Well said! Why should Indian citizens pay more for petrol and diesel because of a war in Europe? We have our own priorities. The US didn't consult us when they went into Iraq or Afghanistan. We will make our own decisions based on what's best for India. đź‘Ź
R
Rohit P
While I support India's right to secure affordable energy, I hope our government is also accelerating investments in renewables. Long-term energy security means reducing dependence on any single foreign source, be it Russia or anyone else. Solar and wind are the future.
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Vikram M
This 500% duty is pure economic bullying. The US wants to force its foreign policy on the rest of the world. India's stance is correct—we are guided by our national interest and the welfare of our people, not by diktats from Washington or Brussels.
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Kavya N
The timing is also suspect. "Ukraine is making concessions for peace," says Graham, but then proposes a bill that could destabilize global energy markets and hurt developing economies. It feels less about peace and more about maintaining US economic dominance.

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