India warns new US tariffs over Russian oil could impact ties - aljazeera.com

**India Warns New U.S. Tariffs on Russian Oil Could Strain Bilateral Ties**

New legislation moving through the U.S. House of Representatives would impose a **100 percent tariff** on imports of Russian petroleum products by any country that continues to buy them, a move that could directly affect India, which imports roughly **1 million barrels of Russian oil per month**. The bill, championed by a bipartisan “Team Trump” coalition, is slated for a final vote later this month and would also target China and other nations deemed to be facilitating Moscow’s earnings from energy sales. Indian officials have publicly cautioned that such punitive measures would “undermine the strategic partnership” between New Delhi and Washington and could have broader repercussions for trade, defence cooperation and the ongoing dialogue on climate and energy security.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs reiterated that its **energy security** remains a sovereign priority, especially as the country strives to meet growing domestic demand while transitioning to renewable sources. New Delhi has argued that its purchases of Russian crude are conducted through **third‑party traders** and are not direct payments to the Kremlin, a nuance it believes should exempt it from blanket sanctions. The government has also highlighted that India has **refrained from any direct investment in Russian oil infrastructure** and continues to comply with United Nations sanctions, positioning itself as a responsible global actor. Nonetheless, Indian officials warned that the imposition of a full‑scale tariff would force a “re‑evaluation of our trade calculus” and could compel India to seek alternative supply routes, potentially raising global oil prices.

China, which faces similar U.S. pressure, has publicly urged Washington to “back off” on the sanctions bill, arguing that such unilateral measures could destabilise the global economy and undermine multilateral approaches to the Ukraine conflict. Analysts note that the U.S. push for sweeping tariffs reflects a broader strategy to **cut off Russia’s revenue streams**, but it also risks alienating two of its largest trading partners in the Indo‑Pacific. As the House prepares for a final vote, both New Delhi and Beijing appear poised to **coordinate diplomatic responses**, while Washington must balance its strategic objectives against the risk of eroding long‑standing alliances in a region increasingly contested by great‑power rivalry.

---