US downplays India warning over Russia sanctions law, says ‘no hard feelings’

The United States has played down India’s warning that a new law targeting buyers of Russian energy could affect bilateral ties, with a senior State Department official saying there were “no hard feelings” over New Delhi’s response.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs had warned that the Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 could have implications for the India-US relationship and for international energy markets.

“Of course, the Indian government has to respond. Congress took a pretty hard approach, especially publicly,” the senior US official said. “We understand that they have a domestic constituency, as do we. Like there’s no sort of hard feelings on any of that kind of activity.”

Signed into law by President Donald Trump, the legislation enables him to slap tariffs of up to 100% on goods from the five biggest buyers of Russian crude oil or natural gas. India is among the countries that could be affected.

The official also noted a broad national security waiver in the law but declined to say whether India would get one.

External Affairs Minister S.  Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.