US Says 'No Hard Feelings' Over India’s Warning On Russia Sanctions

The United States on Saturday said it was seeking to address India’s vast energy demand after Donald Trump signed a fresh sanctions law aimed at buyers of Russian oil and gas. The statement came days after India told Washington the measure could strain bilateral ties and unsettle the global energy market.

As per PTI, A senior US State Department official told that Washington wants to become a major supplier of energy to India. Last week, Trump signed the ‘Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026’, which allows tariffs of up to 100% on countries buying Russian oil and gas, including India and China.

New Delhi had already signalled its concern. The external affairs ministry said the matter had been raised with US interlocutors at senior levels in recent months and that India had made clear the law’s likely impact on the bilateral relationship and the wider energy market.

Energy Diversification Push

Washington pitched itself as an alternative supplier. “We are looking to also become a huge source of India's energy needs. We're increasing our hydrocarbon exports,” a senior US state department official told, reported PTI.

The official tied the offer to India’s long-running effort to spread out its energy sources. “The demands are great, and the needs for oil are there. We are looking for alternatives. But I would say before even the war, India had been looking to diversify when it came to energy for a long time. It's not a new concept. We just need to expedite it faster,” he said.

He said the same thing again in broader terms. “India has been looking for a long time to diversify its energy sources. They're a country that has massive energy needs,” the official added.

No Hard Feelings

The official said New Delhi’s reaction was understandable after Congress took a hard public line on the issue.

“You had members of Congress calling out India in particular, so of course India has to respond. We understand that. They have a domestic constituency, as do we. Like, there are no sort of hard feelings on any of that kind of activity,” the official said.

The ministry of external affairs earlier said, “This issue has been discussed at high levels in recent months with various US interlocutors. Its potential implications for not just the bilateral relationship but also the international energy market have been very clearly articulated by the Indian side.”

Waiver And Implementation

The official said the law gives Trump another option as he seeks to end the war. “That doesn't necessarily mean he deploys it tomorrow, but he has the opportunity to. His focus is on ending this war. It's been something he campaigned on and something he's been dedicated to from the beginning,” the official said.

He also said the measure leaves room for flexibility in how it is carried out. “We're looking for our friends, especially like India, to help support that effort. But I think you'll have to stay tuned on how the bill gets implemented. But there is a broad national security waiver, so you can imagine also the president, there's a scenario, the president uses that as well,” he said.

The official also pointed to Venezuela as a potential new source for India. “Now, with President Trump's incredibly successful operation in Venezuela, we are moving into a better position that countries like India are going to be able to get access to that market,” he added.

The legislation signed last week is formally titled the ‘Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026’. It authorises tariffs of up to 100% on countries buying Russian oil and gas, with India and China among those potentially affected.

The law carries the name of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, who had earlier backed a proposal for 500% tariffs on buyers of Russian oil.