100% US tariffs over Russia oil buy? How sanctions bill may hit India
India could face US tariffs of up to 100 per cent on its exports to the American market under a Russia Sanctions Bill that cleared a key procedural hurdle in the US House of Representatives on Tuesday.
The House voted 214-211 to advance the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, setting up a final vote on the legislation on Wednesday. The Senate had already passed the bill by an 86-11 vote in August.
But what exactly does the bill propose, and why could India be affected?WHAT IS THE RUSSIA SANCTIONS BILL?
Also known as the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, the legislation seeks to increase economic pressure on Moscow over its war against Ukraine.
The bill is named after the late US Senator Lindsey O Graham, a Republican from South Carolina who was a prominent advocate of tougher sanctions on Russia and had pushed for measures targeting countries that continued doing business with Moscow.
The legislation targets Russia's leadership, financial institutions and the energy sector, as well as vessels involved in sanctions evasion, including the so-called “shadow fleet”.
It would also extend the Iran Sanctions Act, which covers sanctions on Iran's energy sector.HOW COULD INDIA FACE 100% TARIFFS?
The bill would authorise US President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries that are major purchasers of Russian crude oil or natural gas, as well as countries identified as major facilitators of sanctions evasion.
The Senate-passed version refers to the five largest importers of Russian oil and gas by volume.
During House consideration, Democratic Representative Steny Hoyer introduced an amendment explicitly naming 10 countries that could be subjected to duties of up to 100 per cent. India is among those countries, along with China, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Slovakia, the UAE, Singapore, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
However, this still does not mean a 100 per cent tariff has already been imposed on India. The legislation would give President Donald Trump the authority to impose such tariffs if the relevant provisions are triggered.WHY IS INDIA IN FOCUS?
India has remained a major buyer of Russian crude, particularly after Western sanctions reshaped global energy trade following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Washington has sought to use economic pressure on countries purchasing Russian energy to reduce Moscow's revenues from oil and gas, which the US says help finance the war in Ukraine.
For India, the potential impact would be on its exports to the US. A 100 per cent tariff could substantially increase the cost of Indian goods entering the American market if the administration chooses to use the authority.WHY HAS THE BILL FACED OPPOSITION?
Some US lawmakers have objected not to the goal of pressuring Russia, but to the breadth of the tariff powers the bill would give the president.
Democratic Representative Gregory Meeks, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has argued that the legislation would give Trump sweeping tariff authority. He has backed an amendment seeking to remove the provision authorising broad secondary tariffs.
The bill also gives the president significant discretion over the use of the sanctions and tariff provisions, including the ability to waive certain measures on national-interest grounds.WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The House of Representatives has cleared the procedural stage and is due to vote on the bill itself on Wednesday. If the House passes the legislation, it would then move to the White House for Trump's signature.
Until then, India is not facing an automatic 100 per cent US tariff under the bill.
The immediate development is that Congress is considering legislation that could give Trump a new statutory route to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on India and other countries over purchases of Russian energy.- Ends(with inputs from PTI)Published By: Prateek ChakrabortyPublished On: Sep 16, 2026 10:36 IST
