Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri conveyed India’s concerns over the recent Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act (SRIA) – that empowers US administration to impose up to 100 per cent tariffs on imports from countries buying Russian oil – to a visiting US Congressional delegation and noted that it may affect bilateral relationship and the global energy market, the Ministry of External Affairs has said.
“At the meeting (on Sunday), various issues of bilateral interest were discussed. Foreign Secretary conveyed our concerns in regard to the SRIA legislation, as far as the kind of implications it would have on the bilateral relationship as also the international market,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a media briefing on Tuesday.
While the SRIA empowers the US President to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on top buyers of Russian energy, including India, it does not lead to an automatic imposition of 100 per cent tariff on Indian goods.
There are indications that the SRIA may be used as a leverage in the ongoing India-US negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement, sources said.
Goyal visit
Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal is visiting the US this week to attend a G20 trade ministers’ meeting and hold discussions with his counterparts on the pact, which has gone through prolonged discussions amid considerable tariff uncertainty this year.
India has been closely assessing the implications of the legislation as it remains a major buyer of Russian crude. New Delhi has maintained that its energy purchases are guided by energy security and market considerations.
Published on September 29, 2026
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