Over 60 US Senators Back Russia Sanctions Bill That Could Hit India With 100% Tariff | Today’s news
With the support of more than 60 lawmakers, a bipartisan bill has been introduced in the Senate that could empower the United States to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on imports from countries that buy Russian oil, putting India among the five countries it could target if the legislation becomes law, according to a PTI report.
The legislation, called the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026, was introduced Thursday by Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal and the late Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham. It seeks to increase economic pressure on Russia over its war in Ukraine through sweeping sanctions on Moscow’s political leadership, financial institutions, energy sector and sanctions-dodging networks.
Under the bill, the U.S. trade representative would be authorized to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on imports from countries designated as the world’s top five buyers of Russian oil or natural gas, or among the top five brokers of Russian oil sanctions circumvention.
Countries in the tariff queue
Blumenthal identified China, India, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan as the five countries currently expected to be covered by the proposal.
The legislation requires the U.S. Trade Representative to review the list every 180 days and adjust tariff rates based on changes in purchasing patterns. The senators said the final tariff rate would be determined by the trade representative and might not be set at a maximum level.
The bill includes an exemption for countries whose imports of Russian natural gas make up less than 15 percent of Russia’s total gas exports, provided they take significant steps to reduce those imports. The cut-off effectively protects most of Europe’s allies.
Exemption for US purchase of Russian uranium
The proposed law also exempts U.S. purchases of Russian uranium for nuclear reactors and medical isotopes, as well as activities conducted as part of U.S.-Russian cooperation in the nuclear and space sectors.
Lawmakers said the measure was significantly narrower than earlier proposals that proposed tariffs of up to 500 percent and could have affected more than 60 countries. The revised version targets a limited group of the largest buyers of Russian oil and gas after consultations with the Trump administration, which senators said supported the bill.
The law, which was named in honor of Lindsey Graham after his death last week, has been hailed by supporters as a legislative effort for the late senator’s signature.
“Until the day it passed, Lindsey was focused on passing the Russia Sanctions Act. Passing this legislation would honor my brother’s unwavering commitment to our national security and give President Trump additional leverage to end this war,” Senator Darline Graham, Lindsey Graham’s sister and successor in the Senate, said, according to PTI.
The legislation still needs to pass the Senate and House of Representatives before it can be sent to President Donald Trump for his signature.
India has defended its purchases of discounted Russian oil as essential for energy security and price stability. According to the Center for Energy and Clean Air Research (CREA), India imported 4.5 billion euros worth of Russian crude oil in June, making it the world’s second largest buyer after China.
