External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar raised India’s concerns over the new US law targeting countries that continue to buy Russian oil during a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York on Wednesday. The two ministers met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly as India-US ties face a sensitive phase over Washington’s latest sanctions move.

The new US legislation gives President Donald Trump the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries that continue buying Russian energy. India and China, both major buyers of Russian oil, could be affected if the administration decides to use these powers.

Jaishankar said the two sides also discussed the situation in the Gulf and the war in Ukraine. "Good to meet @SecRubio of the US #UNHighLevelWeek. Reiterated India's interests and concerns concerning SRIA (Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act). Also discussed the Gulf and Ukraine situations," Jaishankar posted on X after the meeting.

The talks came days after Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 into law on September 18. The legislation allows the US President to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on imports from countries that continue to purchase Russian oil and gas. However, the law does not automatically impose such a tariff on India. It only gives the Trump administration the authority to do so.

The legislation also expands sanctions against Russia’s energy and defence sectors. It targets networks involved in efforts to bypass existing sanctions. The broader aim is to increase economic pressure on Moscow over the Ukraine war.

Russian crude forms a major chunk of India’s energy imports and is crucial for its energy security. Any disruption to these supplies or additional costs linked to US sanctions could affect India’s energy security and trade.

The Ministry of External Affairs has said India will continue to prioritise the energy needs of its 1.4 billion people. "As stated on several earlier occasions, India remains firmly committed to ensuring energy security for its 1.4 billion people," the MEA said.

"It will continue to do so through diversified sourcing and on the basis of evolving market dynamics," it added. The ministry said the issue had already been discussed with US officials at senior levels in recent months. "The issue has been discussed at high levels in recent months with various US interlocutors," the MEA said.

"Its potential implications for not just the bilateral relationship but also the international energy market have been very clearly articulated by the Indian side," it added.

Rubio adopted a positive tone after the meeting and highlighted the broader strategic partnership between the two countries. "Great to meet with Indian External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar in New York today. Together, we are building on the US-India strategic partnership and coordinating on key regional priorities and upcoming multilateral efforts,” Rubio posted on X.

Neither side disclosed any specific understanding on the sanctions law. Jaishankar and Rubio had also met in Manila in July to discuss trade, tariffs, energy, defence, critical minerals and artificial intelligence. They had stressed the need to finalise an interim India-US trade agreement.