New Delhi: Even as the US waiver of sanctions on Russian seaborne oil expired, the US Treasury on Wednesday (June 17) did not publish an extension. However, officials did not clarify if it meant that the sanctions would be re-imposed, as the US and Iran signed the initial peace deal to end the war in West Asia, reported Reuters.The US had earlier granted the waiver, applying to Russian oil stranded at sea, amid the unprecedented disruption to global energy flows precipitated by Iran’s retaliatory blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.The latest stand of the US about the sanctions is unclear after Washington and Tehran reached a memorandum of understanding to end the war which would allow oil from the Middle East to reach global markets.“We are looking at that. We’re seeing how far the price of oil comes down, it’s, it’s really tumbling,” US president Donald Trump said on Wednesday (June 17), reported Reuters.Earlier on Tuesday (June 16), Trump had suggested that the US could re-impose the sanctions by ending the waiver. “Soon we’ll be able to do that, because the oil is now flowing,” out of the Middle East, he had said on Tuesday.In recent months, the US has allowed the waiver to expire only to extend it days later.Meanwhile, India’s imports of Russian crude increased by 21% month-on-month in May. The total purchases by India of Russian fossil fuels stand at €5.8 billion ($6.7 billion), reported Financial Express.At present, India is Russia’s second-largest energy buyer globally.As per a latest analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), crude oil accounted for 83% of India’s total Russian fossil fuel imports. Crude oil imports from Russia amounted to €4.8 billion ($5.55 billion) in May alone. Among other fossil fuel imports, oil products contributed €550 million, while coal imports were around €429 million.Mostly due to the high imports of Russian crude, India’s overall crude import volumes rose to 8% month-on-month during May.Last year, the Trump administration had imposed a 25% ‘penalty’ tariff on Indian exports citing the purchase of Russian crude, atop an already heavy 25% ‘reciprocal’ tariff. This penalty was withdrawn earlier this year but Trump had said that his government could consider re-imposing the levy were New Delhi to “directly or indirectly” resume intake.Later, in wake of the West Asia Crisis, the US Treasury Department had authorised the sale of Russian oil to India, an effort meant to relieve price pressures caused by the ongoing conflict with Iran.This decision had led Russia to rejoice, but the fact that India’s energy security depends on permissions from a foreign country had led to impassioned outrage by opposition leaders.