New Delhi, Sept. 29 -- Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday departed for a seven-day visit to the United States, where he is expected to meet his US counterpart as both sides work towards finalising an interim trade deal. However, India's continued purchase of Russian oil could emerge as a fresh hurdle in the negotiations.

This comes after a new US law gave President Donald Trump the power to impose penalties of up to 100 per cent on countries buying Russian oil and gas. The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 was cleared last month, weeks after the South Carolina Senator died. On 28 July, after reaching an agreement on the new law, senators, in a joint statement, said, "We are proud to announce an agreement on...