‘1.4 billion people first’: India’s response to 100% US tariff threat over Russian oil - The Indian Express

Following the US’s passage of the Russia Sanctions Bill, the Ministry of External Affairs in India has said that it remains committed to the nation’s energy security. “India remains firmly committed to ensuring energy security for its people,” the MEA said in a statement.

The US House on Wednesday passed the ‘Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026’. It grants the US President unprecedented powers to levy 100% tariffs on nations buying oil from Moscow. This includes big-ticket Russian oil and gas buyers, such as India and China. The Bill will now be signed by US President Donald Trump.

According to Trump, the US intends to cut off all sources of funds for Russia and the sanctions Bill is aimed at the same. The Bill is the first major pro-Ukraine measure passed by the US Congress in over two years.

China and India are the top two buyers of Russian crude oil and coal. India was the seventh-largest LNG importer for Russia till June 2026 end, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).

The latest report by CREA reads: “India’s imports of Russian crude oil reached a record high, rising 34% month-on-month. India purchased EUR 4.5 bn of Russian crude in June.”

The report states that between December 5, 2022, and June 2026, China purchased 37% of all Russian coal exports, while India accounted for 19% of Russia’s coal offloading.

India’s share in Russian crude oil exports was higher at 36%, which ranked New Delhi as the second-largest importer of Russian crude. China held the top spot accounting for 50% of the recipient of Russia’s oil exports.

According to CREA, India was the second-largest purchaser of Russian fossil fuels in June 2026, importing a total of EUR 5.5 bn of Russian hydrocarbons. Crude oil comprised 83% of India’s purchases, with a spending of 4.5 billion Euros. Oil products worth 488 million Euros and coal worth 444 million Euros constituted the remainder of New Delhi’s monthly Russian imports.

“India’s total crude import volumes recorded a 5.4% month-on-month increase in June 2026. India’s imports of Russian crude oil reached the highest level on record in June 2026, rising 34% month-on-month,” the report stated.

In its statement, the MEA said: “As stated on several earlier occasions, India remains firmly committed to ensuring energy security for its 1.4 billion people. It will continue to do so through diversified sourcing and on the basis of evolving market dynamics. This issue has been discussed at high levels in recent months with various US interlocutors. Its potential implications for not just the bilateral relationship but also the international energy market have been very clearly articulated by the Indian side. The Indian side has also made clear its determination to take all necessary measures to protect its trade and economic interests. Government will work closely with Indian trade and industry bodies to deal with the implications of these developments,” the ministry’s statement read.

The MEA said monitoring further developments on this matter.

Shubhajit Roy, Diplomatic Editor at The Indian Express, has been a journalist for more than 27 years now. Roy joined The Indian Express in October 2003 and has been reporting and writing explainers and analysis on foreign affairs for about 19 years now. Based in Delhi, he has also led the National government and political bureau at The Indian Express in Delhi — a team of reporters who cover the national government and politics for the newspaper. He has got the Ramnath Goenka Journalism award for Excellence in Journalism ‘2016. He got this award for his coverage of the Holey Bakery attack in Dhaka and its aftermath. He won the Ramnath Goenka Journalism award, 2023, for the second time for his reporting of the Oct 7 attacks on Israel and the war in Gaza. He also got the IIMCAA Award for the Journalist of the Year, 2022, (Jury’s special mention) for his coverage of the fall of Kabul in August 2021 — he was one of the few Indian journalists in Kabul and the only mainstream newspaper to have covered the Taliban’s capture of power in mid-August, 2021. ... Read More

Abhishek Chakraborty is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express in Delhi, working at the intersection of digital-first journalism, editorial decision-making, and audience engagement. He is closely involved in shaping and commissioning stories for the digital platform, with a focus on breaking news, explanatory journalism, and sharp, reader-oriented presentation. His work spans editorial planning, real-time news judgment, headline optimisation, and platform strategy, including search and social distribution. He has a strong interest in the evolution of news consumption in the digital ecosystem. He is particularly interested in how national newsrooms adapt to platform-led distribution models, data-informed editorial choices, and the balance between speed, depth, and credibility in digital-first journalism. His core interest areas are business, science, and political news. Education and interest areas: Abhishek holds a postgraduate degree in Political Science and a graduate degree in Journalism. His academic grounding informs his reportage and editing, particularly on politics, governance, and public policy. He is interested in the future of digital journalism, newsroom transformation, and the evolving relationship between technology, platforms, and public discourse. Abhishek hails from Assam's Guwahati and is proficient in English, Bengali, Assamese and Hindi. When not in the newsroom, Abhishek can be found exploring food trails around Delhi and Northeast India. In his leisure, Abhishek likes to go on long drives or bike rides, play cricket and games, and explore historical places. Work experience: Abhishek has over 12 years of experience at The Times of India, The Quint, India Today, ABP Network, and now, at The Indian Express. ... Read More