“India is an important ally”: Rubio says US must weigh India’s energy needs

Rubio said imposing tariffs and sanctions together could harm the global economy

October 18, 2026

What does the waiver mean for India? Understand the 60-day pause and the energy pressures Rubio cited

Rubio on Russian Oil Waiver: “Hard to Pivot From One Day to the Next” for India

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has defended President Donald Trump’s decision to pause the sanctions and tariffs under the Graham Act, saying India is an important ally whose energy needs have to be weighed before any penalties are imposed. His comments came a day after Trump waived most of the law’s measures against buyers of Russian oil.

What Rubio said

Speaking on Saturday, Rubio pointed out that the Graham Act’s measures were not aimed only at Russia. They include tariffs on a number of countries, he said, and named India as one example.

He acknowledged that India has deliberately diversified its energy sources but still gets a substantial amount of energy from Russia, because it is “hard to pivot from one day to the next.” At the same time, he said, India is also an important ally and partner of the United States.

Why the waiver, and why 60 days

Rubio explained that the waiver provisions were written into the law because the government would need time to study its consequences. The administration will use a 60-day period to assess the economic impact and work out the right combination of sanctions and tariffs.

He said the timing matters because global energy supplies are already under strain, not only from the Iran conflict and the Strait of Hormuz, but also because of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and strikes on energy infrastructure in the war between Russia and Ukraine. Imposing tariffs and sanctions at the same moment, he warned, could have serious consequences for the world economy. He also noted that the US had issued a similar 60-day waiver involving Russian oil earlier, when shipping through Hormuz faced difficulties.

Answering the critics

The waiver has drawn criticism from Republican Senator Ted Cruz, who argued that it would benefit Russian President Vladimir Putin. Rubio was also asked whether the waiver and a separate arrangement to allow Russian diesel amounted to concessions to Putin. He rejected the suggestion, saying that blocking American access would not stop Russian diesel from reaching global markets, since it will find buyers regardless.

India’s position

India has maintained that its energy purchases are guided by domestic needs, affordability and supply security. Russian crude became a major part of its import basket after global energy markets were disrupted by the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Visit ahead

Rubio is travelling to Uzbekistan and India. The State Department has said his talks in India are expected to cover energy, trade, investment, defence and critical technologies, as well as regional and global issues.

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