A brewing US legislative storm over Russian oil could chill India-America friendship. In an exclusive, veteran Indian-American leader Ashok Mago slammed the timing of Senator Lindsey Graham’s sanctions bill. As trade talks heat up, the measure’s 500% tariff authorization on importers risks fracturing delicate negotiations.
Mago, Padma Shri recipient and US-India Chamber founder, described it as counterproductive. ‘Right when tariff dialogues advance, this adds unnecessary pressure,’ he told reporters. Graham, with claimed Trump endorsement, positions the bill to dismantle Putin’s funding via cheap oil sales to India, China, Brazil.
Praising its intent amid Ukraine’s peace bids and Russian atrocities, Graham said it arms the President against war enablers. But Mago spotlighted fallout: Indian-Americans facing steeper costs for imported staples, alongside broader trade disruptions.
His nuclear deal legacy underscores his credibility in fostering ties. Mago pleaded for talks-first approach: ‘World’s top democracies deserve collaborative tariffs, not conflict.’ He lauded Indian diaspora investments transforming US sectors from Silicon Valley to healthcare.
‘We love this country and fuel its growth,’ Mago affirmed, invoking ‘Howdy Modi’ camaraderie. Urging senators: ‘Pause the bill; give diplomacy weeks to deliver fair outcomes.’ Optimistically, he foresaw unity—India’s demographic might plus America’s might—securing peace and prosperity through dialogue.