India has strongly opposed the proposed Russian Sanctions Act, 2025:
India has strongly opposed the proposed Russian Sanctions Act, 2025 in the U.S. that seeks to impose 500% duties on countries like India buying Russian oil.
- Russian Sanctions Act, 2025 is a U.S. congressional bill introduced by Senator Lindsey Graham, with bipartisan support, aimed at punishing countries that continue trading in Russian-origin energy products.
Key Features of the Bill:
- Section 17: Imposes 500% ad valorem tariffs on countries trading in Russian oil, gas, coal, uranium, or petrochemicals.
- Secondary sanctions: Targets non-compliant third countries like India, China, and Brazil, urging them to cut ties with Russia.
- Presidential waiver clause: Allows the U.S. President to delay sanctions for 6 months under strategic conditions.
- Tariff deadline: Recommends sanctions within 50 days, urging early enforcement.
- India sources ~38% of its oil from Russia; sudden disruption risks price shocks and supply instability.
- Seen as an attempt to arm-twist India to align with Western bloc on the Ukraine issue.
- MEA cautions against “double standards”, affirms energy diversification (40 suppliers), and maintains sovereign decision-making.
- Potential costlier imports, inflationary pressure, and reconfiguration of energy trade routes.
