‘Fully aware, closely monitoring’: MEA on US' 500% tariffs bill on India for buying Russian oil

While talking about India's approach to energy sources, Randhir Jaiswal said that it takes into account the conditions and environment of the global market.

While talking about US President Donald Trump backing a proposed bipartisan Russia Sanctions Bill in the United States Congress, which will allow the US to impose at least 500% tariff on countries buying oil from Russia, including India, China and Brazil, the ministry of external affairs said that India was aware of the proposed bill and is carefully monitoring all related issues.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that India remains guided by the imperative of securing energy at “affordable prices” for its 1.4 billion people. (ANI Video Grab)

While talking to media on Friday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We are fully aware of the proposed bill being discussed, and we are carefully monitoring all related issues and developments connected with it."

He also reiterated India's approach when it comes to energy sources and said that it takes into account the conditions and environment in the global market. He also said India remains guided by the imperative of securing energy at “affordable prices” for its 1.4 billion people.

"At the same time, I would like to say that, as far as energy sources are concerned, you are well aware of our approach. We take into account the conditions and environment in the global market, while also keeping in mind our imperative of ensuring that energy is made available at affordable prices to our 1.4 billion people. Based on these factors, we determine our strategy and policy,” Jaiswal said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

Jaiswal's remarks come a day after Republican US Senator Lindsey Graham said on Thursday that US President greenlit the bipartisan Russia sanctions bill that he had been working on for months.

“This will be well-timed, as Ukraine is making concessions for peace and Putin is all talk, continuing to kill the innocent,” Graham said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

He added that the bill would allow President Trump to “punish those countries who buy cheap Russian oil fueling Putin’s war machine.”

“This bill would give President Trump tremendous leverage against countries like China, India and Brazil to incentivize them to stop buying the cheap Russian oil that provides the financing for Putin’s bloodbath against Ukraine. I look forward to a strong bipartisan vote, hopefully as early as next week,” Graham wrote.