Why is India’s energy security now caught in Trump’s ‘coercive geopolitics’? Expert weighs | Today’s news
According to Raj Yadav, Assistant Professor at the Center for Russian and Central Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), the signing of the “Lindsey O Graham Russia and Iran Sanctions Act of 2026” marks a significant escalation in US President Donald Trump’s use of “coercive geopolitics” and geoeconomics.
Yadav said “energy security is crucial for India” as Delhi warned that sanctions could affect bilateral relations.
He also questioned the timing of the legislation, saying it came days after India’s “BRICS Summit managed to build consensus despite concerns” over differences among member countries.
Trump signed the law on September 18. The move significantly increases US economic pressure on Russia over the war in Ukraine and opens the door to 100% tariffs on countries, including India and China, for maintaining energy ties with Moscow.
India insists that its decision to buy oil from Russia will be guided by “national interest”, including adequate availability and prevailing world oil prices.
Yadav said the legislation needs to be viewed against the backdrop of a changing global economic and geopolitical order, especially as countries like India continue to maintain energy ties with Russia despite Western sanctions.
India chairs the BRICS Summit
“Timing and context are important. Just a few days ago, on September 12-13, India chaired the BRICS summit and was successful in building consensus amid speculation about differences between member countries like Iran and the UAE, as well as issues related to supply chains and energy security,” Yadav said.
The US legislation comes as India seeks to strengthen its role within the BRICS framework while maintaining significant economic and strategic ties with Washington.
Why Russian oil remains important to India
India is a strategic partner of Russia and the two countries maintain extensive bilateral relations across areas including hydrocarbons and defence.
Russian oil exports to India increased substantially after the Russo-Ukraine war, especially when Western sanctions disrupted traditional Russian energy markets. India subsequently became one of the main buyers of Russian oil.
Yadav pointed to the broader sanctions environment surrounding Russia and the importance of energy supplies to India.
“Russia, which is rich in hydrocarbon resources, has seen impressive exports of the same to India since the Russo-Ukraine war, while Russia has been under almost 13,000 sanctions. India has had to move away from Iran for crude oil towards Russia because Iran has been sanctioned,” he said.
Energy security is critical for India
“Energy security is crucial for India. India has to meet its demand from Russia or Iran. India is one of the largest importers of hydrocarbons and therefore regular energy supply is crucial for India’s economic growth,” Yadav added.
India says its purchase of Russian oil is linked to ensuring energy security for its 1.4 billion people.
What Donald Trump’s 100% tariff threat means for India-US trade
Yadav emphasized that the proposed tariff mechanism also needs to be understood in the context of India’s broader trade relationship with the US.
“The imposition of 100% tariff on India by the US means that the US is giving a signal to India that either India should not buy Russian oil or be prepared to sell Indian products to the US at higher prices. In other words, buy oil from the US and be a non-tariff trading partner,” he said.
Why changing oil suppliers is not easy
Yadav also highlighted another often-overlooked factor in oil import discussions – the compatibility of different types of oil with refinery infrastructure.
“It is also important to consider the refining capacity and the technology involved in refining as there is a difference in the types of crude oil and the refining technology required,” Yadav said.
So the problem is not limited to the availability of oil on the global market. For an importing country like India, the type of crude oil and the refining technology required to process it is also an important factor.
India’s National Interest Argument
The dispute also highlights the balance India is trying to maintain between strategic partnerships and national economic interests.
India has repeatedly argued that its energy purchases are driven by “national interest”, matching availability and prevailing global oil prices.
Read also | India will buy oil where it gets the “best offer”, says India’s envoy to Russia
Yadav invoked a famous observation by former British Prime Minister Lord Palmerston to describe a principle he believes is relevant to India’s approach:
“We have no eternal allies and we have no eternal enemies. Our interests are eternal and permanent, and it is our duty to pursue those interests.”
