US President Donald Trump is expected to decide within the next 10 days whether to impose sanctions on countries purchasing Russian oil and gas, including India, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor has said.
Gor indicated that the decision could come soon, as legislation passed by the US Congress requires the President to make a determination within 30 days of its passage. He added that Trump had not yet imposed sanctions on any country under the law.
US Weighs Sanctions on Russian Oil Buyers
The legislation gives the US President the authority to impose sanctions on countries that purchase Russian oil and gas or assist in evading existing sanctions. However, Gor stressed that the measures were not aimed at any specific country.
He said the primary objective was to help bring the war to an end rather than punish individual nations. Gor also noted that the legislation had received strong bipartisan backing in the US Senate, securing 86 votes out of 100.
The ambassador said the administration recognised that countries could not immediately replace their existing energy supplies. Instead, the intention was to work with international partners to gradually reduce the financial resources flowing towards the war.
When asked whether India could receive an exemption or relief from the proposed sanctions, Gor said the final decision would rest with Trump.
India-US Trade Deal Shows Progress
Gor also expressed confidence that India and the United States were making substantial progress towards a bilateral trade agreement. He said the broader framework and major issues had largely been addressed, although some details and new concerns could still emerge during the remaining negotiations.
According to the ambassador, discussions had been underway for approximately a year and a half and were progressing at a faster pace than many other trade negotiations.
He added that parts of the earlier trade arrangement had to be reconsidered after the US Supreme Court ruled the law supporting it unconstitutional.
US Seeks Wider Cooperation With India
Beyond trade, Gor highlighted opportunities to expand business ties between the two countries across defence, information technology, data centres and semiconductor manufacturing.
He also said investments by American companies in India could create employment opportunities in the United States.
Gor described India as a promising location for artificial intelligence development, particularly through partnerships between Indian businesses and leading American technology companies. He said such cooperation could strengthen technological capabilities in India while creating mutual benefits for businesses in both countries.
