The United States has granted India a temporary 30‑day waiver to purchase Russian oil that is currently stranded at sea, aiming to ease global supply pressures amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright described the move as a pragmatic short‑term effort to stabilise oil markets without changing overall policy towards Russia.
Wright explained that the U.S. reached out to India and other partners, suggesting that instead of letting Russian crude sit on tankers for weeks, it could be brought into Indian refineries quickly to help counter fears of supply shortages and price spikes caused by disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz. The waiver, valid until early April 2026, applies only to Russian crude and petroleum products already loaded on vessels as of March 5 and delivered to Indian ports by entities registered under Indian law.
While the waiver has been described by U.S. officials as a short‑term, practical measure, it has sparked political debate in India. Opposition leaders criticised the move, questioning whether New Delhi’s energy decisions were being influenced by external pressures. In response, a senior Indian government official emphasised that India has never depended on permission from any foreign nation to make its own energy import decisions, and that the waiver simply removes logistical barriers rather than defining India’s energy policy.
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