New Delhi. India, reacting to the passing of the Lindsey Graham Bill by the US Parliament, has once again clearly said that it is committed to ensuring energy security of its 140 crore citizens. The Ministry of External Affairs has said in its statement that the Government of India has taken note of the passing of the law imposing sanctions on Russia and Iran in the US Congress. India is keeping an eye on the next developments in this matter.
The Ministry of External Affairs has said that it has been said earlier that India will continue to procure energy from different sources for the energy security of its citizens and in view of the changing market conditions. It is clear from this statement of the Ministry of External Affairs that despite the passing of Lindsey Graham Bill, India will continue to buy crude oil from Russia. There is a provision in the Lindsey Graham bill that up to 100 percent tariff should be imposed on countries purchasing crude oil from Russia. American Senator Lindsey Graham even said that 500 percent tariff should be imposed on countries buying crude oil from Russia. He also talked to President Donald Trump about this. However, only 100 percent tariff was provisioned in the bill.
Apart from Lindsey Graham, Trump's Republican Party MPs have claimed that imposing heavy tariffs on countries buying crude oil from Russia will help in ending the Ukraine war. These MPs say that 10 countries including India and China buy crude oil from Russia. By selling crude oil to these countries, Russia is gaining capital for the war. At the same time, recently India's Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar clearly said in Europe that whether we buy crude oil from Russia or not, it is difficult to stop the Ukraine war. Jaishankar and Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri have said many times before in international forums that India will buy crude oil from wherever it feels is best. Let us tell you that on this issue, Trump had imposed a tariff of up to 50 percent on India. Later, Trump ended the tariff by saying that there would be a trade agreement.