New York/Washington, March 11 The US has "temporarily permitted" India to "accept" Russian oil already on ships in the sea to ensure energy supplies amid the conflict with Iran. This short-term measure will not provide significant financial benefit to Moscow, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has said.
President Donald Trump, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and the entire national security team "made this decision because our allies in India have been responsible actors and have previously refrained from buying sanctioned Russian oil," Leavitt told a press conference at the White House on Tuesday.
"Therefore, as we work to address this temporary oil supply gap caused by Iran, we have temporarily permitted them (India) to accept this Russian oil. This oil was already at sea. It was already on the water. Therefore, this short-term measure will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government at this time," she said.
Leavitt was responding to a question about the US issuing a 30-day waiver to India to purchase Russian oil in the context of the escalating West Asia conflict.
Amid the conflict with Iran, the US said last week that it was issuing a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil.
"President Trump's energy agenda has resulted in oil and gas production reaching record levels. To ensure oil continues to flow into the global market, the Treasury Department is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil," Bessent had said.
He had stated that this "deliberate short-term measure" will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government as it only authorizes transactions involving oil already stranded at sea.
"India is an essential partner of the United States, and we fully anticipate that New Delhi will increase its purchases of US oil. This temporary measure will alleviate the pressure caused by Iran's attempt to control global energy supplies," Bessent had said.
Trump had imposed 25 per cent tariffs on India for buying Russian oil, with the administration asserting that New Delhi's purchases were helping fuel Russia's war against Ukraine.
Last month, the US and India announced that they had prepared a framework for an interim trade agreement, and Trump issued an Executive Order removing the 25 per cent tariffs on New Delhi, noting the latter's commitment to stop importing energy from Moscow and purchasing American energy products.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright had said in a post on X last Friday that the US is "allowing our friends in India" to take the Russian oil already on ships around southern Asia, refine it, and move the stocks into the market quickly to ensure a continuous supply and ease pressure amid the ongoing US-Israel war against Iran.
"We have implemented short-term measures to help keep oil prices down. We are allowing our friends in India to take oil that is already on ships, refine it, and move those barrels into the market quickly. This is a practical way to ensure a continuous supply and ease pressure," Wright had said.
In an interview with ABC News Live, Wright had said that long-term oil supplies are "abundant" and there are no concerns regarding this, but in the short term, there is a need to get oil on the market.
"But as oil prices rise slightly due to these constraints coming from the Strait of Hormuz, we are taking a short-term action to say that all this floating Russian oil storage around southern Asia is waiting to be unloaded at Chinese refineries. Instead of waiting six weeks, let us take this oil forward and have it land in Indian refineries to address the fear of oil shortage and price increases. This is a pragmatic effort with a short time frame. There is no change in policy towards Russia," he said.
Wright had also said that he and Bessent have spoken with Indian authorities regarding purchasing Russian oil already floating on waterways, waiting to be unloaded at Chinese refineries, and transporting it to Indian refineries with the aim to "tamp down" concerns over oil shortage and price increases amid the West Asia conflict.
"The United States' policy towards Russia has not changed at all. India is very clear on that," Wright said in an interview to CNN on Sunday.
Asked whether the Treasury Department's 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil amid the US-Israel war against Iran was undermining, in the short term, the Trump administration's goal of isolating Russia, Wright said, "It is not."
He said that India has "displaced" all Russian oil imports and is raising its imports from the US, Venezuela, and other nations.
"India has been a great partner through this. But I did call up the Indians, as did Treasury Secretary Bessent, and said, 'Look, there is a whole bunch of oil that is floating to wait to unload at Chinese refineries'.
"Instead of having it wait six weeks to unload there, let us just pull that oil forward, have it land in Indian refineries and tamp this fear of shortage of oil, tamp the price spikes and the concerns we see in the marketplace. It is just a pragmatic effort that has a short time span. No change in policy towards Russia," he said.