Hours after the US House of Representatives sanctioned a bill allowing tariffs of up to 100% on countries that continue to buy Russian oil and gas, the Ministry of External Affairs said that it remained committed to the nation’s energy security.
“India remains firmly committed to ensuring energy security for its 1.4 billion people,” the MEA said in an energy security statement.
“Its potential implications for not just the bilateral relationship but also the international energy market have been very clearly articulated by the Indian side,” it said.
“The Indian side has also made clear its determination to take all necessary measures to protect its trade and economic interests,” it added.
As per the reports of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), India was positioned to be the seventh largest LNG importer for Russia till the end of June 2026.
“India’s imports of Russian crude oil reached a record high, rising 34% month-on-month. India purchased EUR 4.5 bn of Russian crude in June,” the report read
“India’s total crude import volumes recorded a 5.4% month-on-month increase in June 2026. India’s imports of Russian crude oil reached the highest level on record in June 2026, rising 34% month-on-month,” the report said.
The US House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the ‘Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026,’ granting the US President power to levy 100% tariffs on India and other nations buying oil from Moscow.
The US President said that the US wants to bring down all the sources of funds for Russia, and sanctioning the bill is aimed for it, making it the first major pro-Ukraine measure passed by the US Congress in over two years.
“As stated on several earlier occasions, India remains firmly committed to ensuring energy security for its 1.4 billion people. It will continue to do so through diversified sourcing and on the basis of evolving market dynamics. This issue has been discussed at high levels in recent months with various US interlocutors. Its potential implications for not just the bilateral relationship but also the international energy market have been very clearly articulated by the Indian side,” the Ministry of External Affairs said.
“The Indian side has also made clear its determination to take all necessary measures to protect its trade and economic interests. The government will work closely with Indian trade and industry bodies to deal with the implications of these developments,” it added.
