In meeting with Rubio, Jaishankar raises India’s concerns about sanctions Act

External Affairs Minister Jaishankar meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York, on September 23, 2026. | Photo Credit: X/@DrSJaishankar

In their first meeting since the United States enacted the Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act (SRIA), External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar raised concerns about the law with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York on Wednesday (September 23, 2026).

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The law, which mandates U.S. President Donald Trump to penalise countries that buy Russian oil with up to 100% tariffs, and extends sanctions on Iran trade, could affect India if implemented after the stipulated one-month period. 

In a social media post, Mr. Jaishankar said he had “reiterated India’s interests and concerns with regard to SRIA” and discussed the situations in Ukraine and Iran. In a strongly worded reaction to the U.S. Congress passing the Act last week, the Ministry of External Affairs had said it conveyed to various U.S. interlocutors in recent months that the move would have “implications” for both the India-U.S. bilateral relationship and the international energy market if India is pressured by the U.S. to drop its intake of Russian Ural, which currently makes up 51% of India’s total crude oil imports.