HighLights
  1. Trump's decision on Russia sanctions expected soon.
  2. India included in one of the sanctions categories.
  3. Sanctions target oil, gas, and evasion globally.

US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor on Thursday provided a major update on when United States President Donald Trump is expected to make a decision on Russia-related sanctions. He noted that Trump would make a significant decision in the coming days regarding the sanctions law, which received strong bipartisan support in the US Senate, while stressing that the aim was not to target India.

India Among Countries On Sanctions List

Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Delhi, Gor said the legislation had received 86 votes out of 100 in the US Senate. He explained that the law covers oil, gas and sanctions evasion, and is not aimed at any one country. “We have ongoing discussions on that as it passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. That law got 86 votes out of 100 in our Senate...These sanctions options that Congress passed, they are not targeted at any individual country,” Gor said.

Explaining the three different buckets under the sanctions law, Gor stated that India falls into one of them along with several other countries. However, he did not specify which other countries they were. “It is three different buckets; one is oil, the second is gas, the third is sanctions evasion. So those individuals are identified based on numbers. It just happens that India does fall in one of those buckets, along with a lot of other countries. The goal is not to punish anyone. The goal is to try to bring an end to this war. I do think the president will make a determination on that over the next few days,” Gor added.

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India Expresses Concerns

Earlier on September 18, India had reiterated its stance to the US over new sanctions legislation targeting Russia and Iran, stating that the move could have implications not only for the international energy market but also for the broader bilateral relationship between New Delhi and Washington.

During a weekly briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said, "We have already conveyed at senior levels of the US administration the implications that this legislation could have on India's energy security, on international energy markets, and on the overall relationship. I don't have anything further at this point."

Notably, Trump on September 19, had signed a new law that gives his administration the power to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries that continue to buy Russian oil and gas. The move is expected to have major implications for countries such as India and China, two of the biggest buyers of Russian crude.

About Russia Sanctions Law

The legislation, called the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, gives the US President new powers to target countries that buy Russian energy. Under the law, the administration can impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on goods imported into the US from countries that fall into certain categories.

These include the five biggest importers of Russian crude oil or gas, countries that knowingly make new purchases of Russian energy, and some countries accused of helping Russia avoid sanctions. While the law earlier did not name any specific countries for the new tariffs, it set out certain conditions under which a country could become subject to the levies.

Who May Be Exempted?

The law contains a specific exception concerning Russian natural gas. A country can avoid the duty with respect to imports of natural gas if its Russian natural-gas imports during the relevant 12-month period were less than 15 per cent of Russia's total annual natural-gas exports.

ALSO READ: 'Implications On Overall Relationship': India Reacts To US' Russia Sanctions Bill

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