External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and raised concerns over the Russia sanctions act. The meeting occurred days after US President Donald Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act into law, granting him expanded authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on imports from the top five buyers of Russian oil and gas, a list that includes India.

India’s external affairs ministry said the government was determined to take all necessary measures to protect its trade and economic interests. The ministry reiterated that India’s energy purchases are driven by national interest and that the country remains committed to ensuring energy security for its 1.4 billion people. The ministry also stated that India would continue sourcing energy through diversified sourcing and on the basis of evolving market dynamics.

The Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 cleared the House on Wednesday by 262-159 margin, after passing the Senate 86-11 on August 7. The legislation grants Trump the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on goods from the five largest purchasers of Russian crude oil and natural gas — a list that, by current import volumes, includes China, India, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan.

India’s reaction to Russia sanctions bill Hours after the US House of Representatives passed the legislation and sent it to President Donald Trump’s desk, India warned that the sanctions bill, which authorises tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest buyers of Russian oil, could have implications for bilateral ties as well as the global energy market. India’s external affairs ministry said the government was determined to take all necessary measures to protect its trade and economic interests and would work closely with trade and industry bodies to address the fallout.

New Delhi has discussed the bill at high levels in recent months with various US interlocutors, the ministry said, adding that India had very clearly articulated its potential implications, for not just the bilateral relationship but also the international energy market. The ministry also reiterated that India’s energy purchases are driven by national interest and that the country would continue sourcing energy through diversified sourcing and on the basis of evolving market dynamics.

The meeting between Jaishankar and Rubio also included discussions on the situations in the Gulf and Ukraine, though no further details were provided. The exact nature of the concerns raised by India remains unspecified in the available information. The potential impact of the sanctions bill on India’s trade relations and energy market remains a subject of ongoing analysis and discussion.