‘Russia will not get much benefit…’, US Treasury Secretary claims – temporary exemption to India for oil purchase

New Delhi: Amidst the global oil supply being affected due to the war in the Middle East and instability in the Strait of Hormuz, America has given India a special exemption of 30 days to buy oil from Russia. White House Press Secretary Carolyn Levitt once again clarified on this decision that this is a temporary step, the purpose of which is to maintain stability in the global oil markets. Describing India as a ‘good actor’, he said that India has followed the sanctions earlier also.

Speaking to the media, Levitt stressed that this exemption is for Russian oil cargo already at sea, which will not bring any major financial benefit to the Russian government. He confirmed this decision after discussing with President Trump, Treasury Secretary and the National Security Team.

Levitt’s statement calling India a ‘good actor’

Caroline Levitt said that India has always been in a good role for her. For this reason, short-term special steps have been taken for India. So that they can get some relief for a short time. However, Russia will not get much benefit from this. Levitt said that his objective is to keep the global oil supply stable. On which America is working. For this reason, he has given temporary exemption to India to buy oil from Russia.

He said that he first discussed this matter with President Trump’s Treasury Secretary and the entire National Security team. If consensus is reached, this exemption to be given to India has been approved. Levitt has emphatically described Bharat as a good actor.

He said that even before this, India had worked according to the restrictions. Earlier too, when India was forbidden to buy oil from Russia, it readily accepted it. Levitt called the concession given to India on Russian oil a step taken to correct the disruption in global oil markets caused by the war with Iran.

#WATCH | White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says, "…The President and the Secretary of the Treasury and the whole national security team came to this decision because our allies in India have been good actors and have previously stopped buying sanctioned Russian oil.… pic.twitter.com/vv20AQT0Zl

— ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2026

Decision taken due to Iran war

Levitt said, we are working to make up for the temporary reduction in oil supply around the world caused by Iran, so we have temporarily allowed them to take Russian oil to India. The White House Secretary also said that the Russian oil coming to India was already in the sea and it would not bring any significant financial benefit to the Russian government.

Earlier statement given by Treasury Secretary Scott Besant

Earlier this month, Scott Besant had said that India will be allowed to buy oil from Russia amid the oil supply crisis due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Besant had said, Indians have been very good. We had asked them to stop buying Russia’s banned oil. He did this. They were going to take American oil instead, but to reduce the short-term gap in oil prices across the world, we have allowed them to take Russian oil.