US Approves Temporary Waiver for India to Buy Russian Oil Amid Iran Crisis

Washington, March 2026: The White House has confirmed that US President Donald Trump personally approved a temporary waiver allowing India to purchase **Russia**n oil, describing the move as part of a broader effort to stabilise global energy markets during disruptions caused by the ongoing conflict with Iran.

The decision followed consultations between the President, the United States Department of the Treasury, and senior members of the national security team. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the step was taken after considering India’s role as a responsible energy partner and its past compliance with sanctions.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Leavitt explained that the waiver was introduced to deal with short-term disruptions in global oil supply resulting from the ongoing military confrontation involving Iran.

According to her, the administration recognised India’s cooperation in the past when it curtailed purchases of sanctioned Russian oil. She noted that the current decision reflects Washington’s intention to maintain stable energy supplies for allies while navigating the broader geopolitical crisis.

“The President, the Treasury Secretary and the national security team came to this decision because our allies in India have been good actors and had previously stopped buying sanctioned Russian oil,” Leavitt said.

She explained that the waiver is temporary and was designed to bridge a short-term supply gap created by instability in global energy markets linked to the Iran crisis.

“As we work to address this temporary disruption in global oil supply caused by the Iranians, we have permitted India to accept those shipments,” she added.

Leavitt also clarified that the Russian oil shipments involved in the decision had already been dispatched before the waiver was formally granted.

“This oil was already at sea and already on the water before the decision was made,” she said.

The White House maintained that the arrangement is unlikely to provide major financial gains for Moscow. According to Leavitt, the administration does not expect the limited waiver to significantly boost revenues for the Russian government.

“This short-term measure will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government,” she stated.

The announcement came as the administration provided an update on Operation Epic Fury, the US military operation aimed at weakening Iran’s missile capabilities and naval infrastructure.

Leavitt said the campaign has made rapid progress since its launch around ten days ago. According to her, US forces have carried out extensive strikes on Iranian military targets.

“More than 5,000 enemy targets have been struck since the operation began,” she said.

She also noted that Iran’s capacity to retaliate has been significantly reduced. Ballistic missile attacks launched by Iran have reportedly declined sharply, while drone attacks have also dropped since the start of the operation.

“Iran’s ballistic missile attacks are down by more than 90 per cent, and their drone attacks have declined by about 35 per cent,” she said.

US military forces have also targeted Iranian naval capabilities as part of the campaign. According to the White House, dozens of Iranian vessels have been destroyed during the operation.

“We have destroyed more than 50 Iranian naval vessels, including a major drone carrier ship,” Leavitt said, adding that the Iranian navy has been assessed as largely ineffective in combat following the strikes.

Despite the progress claimed by US officials, the administration said the objectives of the operation remain unchanged. The campaign aims to dismantle Iran’s missile infrastructure, weaken its military capabilities, and prevent the country from acquiring nuclear weapons.

“The objectives remain clear: destroy the regime’s ballistic missile capacity, dismantle the Iranian missile industry, weaken their proxy networks and ensure Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon,” Leavitt said.

At the same time, the White House stressed that maintaining stability in global energy supply routes remains a priority. Particular attention is being given to the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil transit corridors.

Leavitt said President Trump has reiterated his commitment to ensuring that oil shipments continue to move freely through the strait so that the United States and its allies can meet their energy needs.

To support energy markets during the crisis, the administration has introduced several measures, including political risk insurance for oil tankers operating in the Gulf region.

“Thus far, the Trump administration has offered political risk insurance to tankers operating in the Gulf,” she said.

Officials also confirmed that the United States Navy has been authorised to escort commercial tankers if required to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

The White House said these steps are part of a broader strategy to safeguard global energy supplies while pursuing military objectives against Iran.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)