‘India is an important ally’: Marco Rubio says US must consider New Delhi’s energy needs
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the waiver of sanctions on Russia and tariffs on countries importing Russian oil, including India, provides a 60-day window for the Donald Trump administration to assess the potential impact of the measures on the global and US economies.
Rubio made the remarks on Saturday evening at Joint Base Andrews, near Washington, as he left for a six-day tour of Uzbekistan and India. He said the administration needed time to evaluate the implications of the sanctions and tariffs amid pressure on global energy supplies and ongoing geopolitical conflicts.
Why has the US paused Russia sanctions?
On Friday, Trump waived key provisions of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, also known as the Graham Act, which authorised punitive tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil. The decision offered relief to India, one of the countries that could have been affected by the proposed measures. Speaking about the waiver, Rubio said the President wanted to use the 60-day period to assess the potential consequences of imposing sanctions on Russia and tariffs on other countries.
“I think the president wants to take the 60-day period of time to sort of analyse what imposing both sanctions and tariffs will mean to the global economy, and even to the US economy,” Rubio said. The executive order signed by Trump states that the waivers will remain in effect until the President or the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the US Trade Representative, as appropriate, determines that further action is necessary.
Trump also defended his decision while speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort near Miami, saying it would benefit the United States. “A lot of you don’t know what my decision is yet, but we’ll figure it out, and you’ll figure it out,” he said. “It’s a very good decision, and it’s going to be a decision that’s good for the country, and I think good for the world because we’re really at a world stage,” Trump added.
Rubio says India is an important US ally
Rubio said the waiver provisions had been included in the Graham Act to allow the administration time to assess changing global circumstances, including developments affecting energy supplies. He cited pressure on global energy markets linked to the Iran war, Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war as factors that needed to be considered before deciding on the next steps.
“So I think you have to take all of that into account and weigh it against each other,” Rubio said. He also highlighted India’s efforts to diversify its energy sources while noting that the country continues to import a substantial amount of energy from Russia. “Then you’ve got countries like India, for example, that have voluntarily diversified their energy portfolio, but are still getting a substantial amount of energy from Russia because it’s hard to pivot from one day to the next,” Rubio said. The Secretary of State, who is scheduled to be in India on Monday, described the country as an important ally and partner of the United States. He said the administration needed the additional time to study the situation and determine the appropriate combination of measures.
US lawmakers criticise Trump’s decision
Trump’s decision to waive the sanctions provisions drew criticism from members of both the Republican and Democratic parties. The Graham Act had received overwhelming support in the Senate last month, passing by a vote of 86-11. Republican Senator Darline Graham of South Carolina criticised Trump’s decision to exempt Russia from the sanctions law, which was championed by and named after her late brother, Lindsey Graham.
“Personally, I would choose to put the pressure on Russia to end the war and get gas prices down, because I don’t trust Putin, and I don’t trust Russia,” she said. Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina also criticised the administration’s decision in a social media post. “Beyond irresponsible,” Tillis said. He questioned the administration’s approach to enforcing legislation that had received strong Senate support and accused it of making concessions to Russia despite its invasion of Ukraine.
Tillis also argued that the administration should focus on resolving the Iran war, which he blamed for rising fuel prices, rather than easing pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin. Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas also expressed opposition to the decision, saying, “Lindsey would be appalled,” in reference to the late senator who had worked on the legislation. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts accused Trump of disregarding Congress and enabling Putin to continue Russia’s war against Ukraine. She urged lawmakers to take action to reverse the decision.
The debate over the waiver comes as the Trump administration weighs the impact of sanctions on Russian energy exports against global supply pressures and the economic interests of countries such as India, which continue to rely partly on Russian oil and gas.
(With inputs from ANI/PTI)
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