U.S Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Congress on Tuesday that the Trump administration sought to end sanctions waivers and special arrangements that allowed countries, including India, to import oil from Russia. The move signalled Washington’s push to put economic pressure on Russia over its invasion in Ukraine.
The decision aims to limit the flow of money into Russia’s energy sector, which is a crucial source of revenue for the country and has funded its ongoing operations in Ukraine. India is currently one of the biggest buyers of discounted Russian crude oil after the United States and other Western nations imposed sanctions and price restrictions on Moscow.
Washington may be looking to further isolate Russia economically based on Rubio’s comments. However, restricting Russian oil flows could have greater implications for global energy markets due to the role of major buyers such as India and China in balancing supply and prices.
Despite Rubio’s claims last week that the sanctions were “never aimed at India per se”, Indian officials and analysts have raised concerns that New Delhi was becoming a victim of an approach where if oil prices threatened to spike, its purchases were seen as a stabilising force whereas when sanctions became politically advantageous, it became a subject of diplomatic concern.
India has continued to press for “strategic autonomy”, asserting that no foreign power should dictate its commercial energy sources. New Delhi insisted that its energy decisions were driven by national interest, market stability, and the need to secure affordable fuel for its population of 1.4 billion people.
Experts also note that one of Russia’s closest allies, China, is one of its biggest energy buyers. However, the United States is not in a position to strictly impose secondary sanctions due to Beijing having controls over rare earths, along with other strategic goods. India argues that the rules are applied unevenly, with Washington focusing more on geopolitical advantages rather than moral principles.
