India is an important US ally, can't pivot from Russian oil overnight: Marco Rubio ahead of Mumbai visit

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has defended President Donald Trump's decision to temporarily waive sanctions on Russia. He also said that countries such as India cannot abruptly stop buying Russian energy despite efforts to diversify their supplies.

Rubio said New Delhi remains an important US partner and that Washington must consider the wider economic impact of sanctions and tariffs before deciding its next course of action.

"When the bill was passed, one of the reasons the waivers were put in there is understanding that they would need some period of time to study this given all the different things that are going on in the world right now," Rubio said while speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews ahead of his visit to India.

He added that the pressure on energy supplies was coming "not just because of Iran and not just because of the straits of Hormuz but increasingly because of the Houthis attacking Saudi Arabia".

The US Secretary of State also pointed to the Russia-Ukraine war, "where energy infrastructure is being hit and so that's having an impact on global prices as well."

"And then you've got countries like India, for example, that have voluntarily diversified their energy portfolio, but are still getting a substantial amount of energy from Russia because it's hard to pivot from one day to the next," Rubio said. "But they're also an important ally and partner of the United States."

His remarks come ahead of his scheduled arrival in Mumbai on Tuesday, October 20, for a two-day visit to India. This is Rubio's second visit to India in nearly five months.

Why Trump waived Russia sanctions

On Friday, Trump signed an executive order exempting Russia from a new sanctions measure under the Graham Act, passed by the US Congress last month.

The order also granted a waiver from 100 per cent tariffs on the five largest purchasers of Russian oil and gas, including India and China.

The waivers will remain in effect until the President or Secretary of State, in consultation with other relevant officials, determines that further action is appropriate.

The decision has drawn criticism from both Republicans and Democrats, who had overwhelmingly supported the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act last month.

Asked about Republican Senator Ted Cruz's criticism that the waiver was a major mistake benefiting Russian President Vladimir Putin, Rubio said the sanctions went beyond Russia and could affect several other countries.

"The problem is these sanctions were not just sanctions on Russia. They include tariffs on a number of countries. India, for example, and others," he said.

Rubio said the administration must assess the potential impact on both the global and US economies.

Trump has repeatedly pressured New Delhi to stop purchasing Russian oil, arguing that the revenue helps Moscow finance its war in Ukraine.

In August 2025, his administration imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods over the purchases. Despite the pressure, India continued importing Russian crude, maintaining that its energy decisions were guided by national interests, supply availability and affordability.

Global energy crisis behind waiver

Rubio also pointed to growing disruptions in global energy supplies, citing the conflict involving Iran, tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and strikes on energy infrastructure during the Russia-Ukraine war.

He said these developments were putting pressure on global fuel prices and making it difficult for governments to impose further restrictions without considering their economic consequences.

Asked whether the sanctions waiver and Washington's diesel deal with Moscow amounted to concessions to Putin, Rubio argued that Russian diesel would reach international markets regardless of whether the US purchased it.

"That diesel is going to be sold one way or the other. I mean the diesel that Putin was going to sell, they will make it available to the global market one way or the other," he said.

Rubio added that the overlapping conflicts were pushing some countries towards an economic crisis as energy costs continued to rise.

The US administration will now use the review period to assess the impact of sanctions and tariffs, even as the executive order leaves open the possibility of further action against countries purchasing Russian energy.