Washington: The United States has temporarily allowed India to receive shipments of Russian oil that were already at sea, a move aimed at stabilizing global energy supplies during the ongoing conflict involving Iran in West Asia. US officials said the decision is a short-term measure and does not represent any shift in Washington’s broader policy toward Russia.
Speaking at a White House press briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt explained that the decision was taken after consultations with President Donald Trump and the national security team. She noted that India had earlier complied with sanctions by reducing purchases of Russian oil, which contributed to the US administration’s willingness to allow a limited exception.
Leavitt said the waiver only applies to oil cargoes that were already in transit and does not allow new purchases. According to her, the short-term arrangement is unlikely to provide substantial financial benefit to Moscow because the shipments had already left Russian ports before the decision was made.
The temporary permission follows escalating tensions in West Asia, particularly involving Iran, which have raised concerns about disruptions in global oil flows. In response to these risks, the US government issued a 30-day waiver allowing Indian refineries to process the stranded Russian crude and release it into the market to prevent supply shortages.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the move was designed to keep energy markets stable. He emphasized that the measure is deliberately limited in duration and applies only to oil already waiting at sea.
Bessent also highlighted India’s strategic importance to Washington, saying the United States expects India to expand its purchases of American energy in the future. He described the waiver as a “stop-gap” step meant to counter disruptions linked to tensions with Iran.
The development comes after a period of friction between the two countries over India’s previous purchases of Russian oil. The Trump administration had earlier imposed a 25 percent tariff on Indian imports, arguing that such transactions indirectly supported Russia’s military operations in Ukraine. However, the tariff was later withdrawn after both sides reached a framework for an interim trade arrangement and India signaled its intent to shift toward alternative energy sources.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright also defended the waiver, saying the objective was to ease short-term market pressure rather than alter sanctions policy. He explained that several shipments of Russian oil were stranded near Asian waters, originally destined for Chinese refineries.
By redirecting those cargoes to Indian refineries, Wright said the US hopes to speed up their entry into the market and reduce fears of supply shortages. The approach, he added, helps keep oil prices stable while broader geopolitical tensions continue to affect global energy trade.
American officials have repeatedly stressed that the waiver is temporary and does not signal any relaxation of sanctions against Russia. Instead, they describe it as a pragmatic response to a rapidly changing energy landscape shaped by conflict in West Asia and concerns over rising oil prices.
