Jaishankar raises India’s concerns over Russia sanctions law with Rubio

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York and raised India’s concerns over the Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act. The two also discussed bilateral ties, the Gulf situation, Ukraine and upcoming multilateral efforts

New York: India and the US on Wednesday discussed bilateral relations and New Delhi’s concerns regarding the Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act (SRIA) as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.

Jaishankar, who arrived in New York City on Sunday, is leading the Indian delegation for the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.

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“Good to meet @SecRubio of the US #UNHighLevelWeek. Reiterated India’s interests and concerns with regard to SRIA (Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act). Also discussed the Gulf and Ukraine situations,” Jaishankar posted on X after the meeting.

US President Donald Trump signed into law the “Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026” last week. The law authorises him to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries buying Russian oil and gas, including China and India. The legislation provides the US President with the authority to impose such tariffs; they are not automatically imposed by the law itself.

In its reaction, New Delhi said it would take all necessary steps to protect its economic interests and ensure energy security for the nation.

After meeting Jaishankar, Rubio said India and the US were coordinating on key regional priorities.

“Great to meet with Indian External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar in New York today,” Rubio posted on X.

“Together, we are building on the U.S.-India strategic partnership and coordinating on key regional priorities and upcoming multilateral efforts,” Rubio said.

The two leaders also met in Manila in July this year and discussed priority areas including trade, tariffs, energy, defence, critical minerals and artificial intelligence.

They agreed on the importance of finalising the interim India-US trade deal, the US State Department had said after the Manila meeting.