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Reaffirming that national interests and the energy needs of its 1.4 billion citizens remain paramount, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday addressed concerns surrounding a recently advanced US Senate sanctions bill aimed at penalising major importers of Russian oil.
Speaking during the official media briefing, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal clarified that New Delhi is actively monitoring the legislative developments in Washington while maintaining a steadfast approach to its energy procurement policy. "Let me say that we are aware of this development and we are closely monitoring the situation. As you know very well, our position on energy security has been clarified and very well articulated on several occasions," Jaiswal said. He said India's energy policy continues to prioritise securing reliable, uninterrupted, and affordable energy for India's domestic population, adding that India's strategy relies on sourcing energy from multiple global partners, explicitly including imports from the United States alongside other international sources. "It is something which is predicated on our national priorities and on securing the energy needs of our 1.4 billion people, our citizens, through diversified sources, which includes the United States," the MEA spokesperson said. Despite the proposed punitive measures from Capitol Hill, Indian foreign policy officials reiterated that diplomatic engagement with Washington will continue as the country maintains its strategy of energy source diversification. "We remain engaged with relevant stakeholders in the United States at various levels on this particular matter," he added. The legislative measure, titled the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026, was cleared by the US Senate on Tuesday with an 86-12 vote. The substantial bipartisan endorsement highlighted continued support for Ukraine alongside a tribute to Graham, who passed away unexpectedly earlier this month. Under the current draft, the US president is empowered to levy tariffs reaching up to 100 per cent against the top five importers of Russian energy, as well as nations assisting Moscow in circumventing sanctions. The provision predominantly affects China, India, and other nations, while additionally placing a provision to put a 500 per cent tariff on all Russian imports into the US. (ANI)
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