He says Washington needs time to assess the economic impact of the proposed penalties, describing New Delhi as an important American partner whose energy needs must be considered. New Delhi: Days after President Donald Trump paused tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has departed for and India and Uzbekistan.
He is scheduled to meet senior Indian officials on October 20. The US administration’s decision to allow a 60-day review of the proposed sanctions and tariffs has also brought India’s Russian crude purchases into the diplomatic picture. The law could impose tariffs of up to 100% on imports from major buyers of Russian oil and gas, including India and China. And so I think the president wants to take the 60-day period of time to sort of analyse what imposing both sanctions and tariffs will mean to the global economy and even to the US economy,” he said. The Indian Express reported that India imported around 1.9 million barrels of Russian crude per day in September. Russian oil made up more than 35% of India’s total crude imports that month.
Because it’s hard to pivot from one day to the next, “You have got countries like India, for example, that have voluntarily diversified their energy portfolio, but are still getting a substantial amount of energy from Russia.
“Just departed for Uzbekistan and India to continue securing the Trump Administration’s economic opportunities for our nation,” Rubio said before leaving Joint Base Andrews late on Saturday (October 17) local time. Rubio said the administration wants to assess how the measures could affect international trade and the American economy before deciding on the next steps. His visit comes as the two countries pursue cooperation in trade, energy, investment, defence and emerging technologies. The US president has put on hold parts of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act. “These sanctions were not just sanctions on Russia. They include tariffs on a number of countries – India, for example, and others. He also referred to India’s efforts to diversify its energy sources while still buying substantial quantities of Russian fuel. But they are also an important ally and partner of the United States. So we need that period of time to sort of study all this and figure out what the right combination is,” he added. The waiver gives Washington time to assess the consequences of the proposed tariffs and sanctions. It does not amount to a permanent withdrawal of the tariff threat.
Before travelling to India, Rubio will attend the C5+1 ministerial meeting in Uzbekistan. The Times of India reported that the visit comes ahead of Reliance Industries’ proposed investment in a refinery project in Texas.
The visit is expected to include an engagement with Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, according to reports on the itinerary. The US secretary of state is also expected to travel to Jamnagar in Gujarat, home to Reliance Industries’ large oil refining complex. The Jamnagar stop comes as energy trade and commercial investment feature prominently in talks between Washington and New Delhi. The diplomatic platform brings together the United States and five Central Asian countries to discuss regional cooperation and shared economic and strategic priorities.
Rubio is scheduled to hold talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Mumbai on October 20.
The US State Department said Rubio would meet senior Indian officials to strengthen the strategic partnership, exchange views on regional and international affairs and explore energy cooperation. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the visit would allow both sides to review bilateral relations and discuss ways to strengthen the Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the talks were expected to cover energy, trade, investment, defence, critical and emerging technologies, along with regional and international developments. He said that the visit would help sustain high-level engagement and advance shared priorities. The meeting is expected to address cooperation between the two countries and recent international developments, the MEA said. The US State Department said Rubio’s meetings in Central Asia would promote cooperation aimed at a more peaceful and prosperous future for the United States and the region.
He is also expected to meet business leaders to explore commercial investment and economic opportunities. His India programme will then turn to bilateral relations, energy cooperation and opportunities for commercial partnerships.
