- India is monitoring developments after the US House passed a Russia sanctions bill
- The bill could impose tariffs up to 100% on major importers of Russian energy like India
- India will take necessary steps to protect its trade and economic interests amid the bill
India said on Thursday it was monitoring developments after the US House passed a Russia sanctions bill that could subject New Delhi to steep tariffs over its purchases of Russian energy, asserting it would take all necessary steps to safeguard its trade and economic interests.
"The Government of India has noted the passage of the Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act in the US Congress. We are monitoring further developments on this matter," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
The ministry reiterated that India remained "firmly committed to ensuring energy security for its 1.4 billion people" and would continue to do so "through diversified sourcing and on the basis of evolving market dynamics."
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The statement said the issue had been raised at high levels with various US interlocutors in recent months, with India laying out its concerns "very clearly" over the implications not just for bilateral ties but for the international energy market more broadly.
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"The Indian side has also made clear its determination to take all necessary measures to protect its trade and economic interests," the ministry said, adding that the government would work closely with Indian trade and industry bodies to deal with the fallout of the legislation.
The bill, which passed the House 262-159 after clearing the Senate in August, gives President Donald Trump the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the largest importers of Russian oil and gas, a category that includes India and China. It now awaits Trump's signature.
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In August 2025, the US had imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods, followed swiftly by an additional 25% penalty specifically tied to India's continued imports of Russian crude, taking the total levy to 50%.
At the time, a Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson had called the US action "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable," noting that other countries buying Russian energy faced no similar penalty.
Russian oil now accounts for roughly a third of India's total crude imports, having risen sharply from negligible levels a decade ago, when Iraq and Saudi Arabia dominated the import basket.
New Delhi has consistently defended the purchases as a matter of energy security and consumer price stability for the world's third-largest oil importer, arguing that abruptly cutting off discounted Russian barrels would push up domestic fuel costs.
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