'Blood Money', 'Crush Your Economy': How Lindsey Graham Viewed India

Lindsey Graham Death has renewed attention on the late Republican senator’s often controversial views on India.

The death of Lindsey Graham at the age of 71 has prompted renewed scrutiny of a political career that shaped American foreign policy debates for more than two decades. While the South Carolina Republican was widely recognised for his uncompromising positions on national security, Ukraine and Iran, his increasingly confrontational rhetoric towards India during the Russia-Ukraine war became one of the defining aspects of his international outlook. Graham died on Saturday following what his office described as a brief and sudden illness.

A close ally of US President Donald Trump, Graham regularly argued that countries continuing to purchase discounted Russian crude oil were indirectly financing Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine. India, alongside China and Brazil, frequently featured in those criticisms as the senator sought tougher economic measures against governments maintaining energy trade with Russia. His remarks often generated sharp reactions in New Delhi because they targeted a country Washington simultaneously described as a key strategic partner in the Indo-Pacific.

Graham’s strongest criticism of India emerged during the final phase of the Ukraine conflict, when he argued that buying discounted Russian crude was no longer merely an economic decision. Instead, he maintained that such purchases were helping sustain Russia’s military operations by providing export revenues to the Kremlin. That argument became the centrepiece of his campaign for sweeping secondary sanctions.

In one of his most widely quoted television appearances, Graham declared: “Here’s what I would tell China, India and Brazil: If you keep buying cheap Russian oil to allow this war to continue, we’re going to tear the hell out of you, and we’re going to crush your economy, because what you’re doing is blood money.” The remarks quickly became one of the most controversial statements by an American lawmaker regarding India’s energy policy.

Earlier this year, Graham claimed India had already reduced its Russian crude imports “dramatically” because of pressure created by potential American tariffs. Indian authorities, however, consistently maintained that energy procurement decisions were based on affordability, market conditions and national energy security rather than external political pressure. New Delhi repeatedly stressed that its energy policy reflected sovereign decision-making and strategic autonomy.

Beyond India, Graham remained one of Washington’s most outspoken foreign policy hawks. During an appearance on Fox News earlier this year, he described Iran’s then-supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as the “modern-day Hitler” and urged Trump to target Iran’s leadership directly. “It’s time for him to go,” Graham said, arguing that removing the Iranian leadership would help stabilise the Middle East.

His remarks on Pakistan also drew widespread attention. In May, Graham questioned Islamabad’s credibility as a mediator between Washington and Tehran, arguing that Pakistan’s long-standing hostility towards Israel made such a role problematic. Referring to reports alleging that Iranian military aircraft had been sheltered at Pakistani air bases — claims Islamabad denied — Graham wrote that Pakistan should instead recognise Israel and reconsider its regional posture.

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