The US House of Representatives has passed a Russia sanctions bill that gives President Donald Trump a legal route to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries buying Russian oil and gas. It has put India among the countries that could face another round of US trade pressure.
The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 passed the House by 262-159 on September 16. The bill had cleared the Senate and now goes to Trump for his signature. Reuters reported that the legislation targets Russia’s energy and defence sectors, its financial system and the so-called shadow fleet of tankers used to move Russian oil while avoiding Western restrictions.
The legislation does not automatically impose a 100% tariff on Indian goods. It gives the US president the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on goods from countries that fall under the conditions set out in the bill. India and China are among the major buyers of Russian energy and have therefore been identified as countries that could face the new tariff power.
Why India is in the tariff clause
The tariff provision is aimed at countries that continue to purchase Russian crude oil and natural gas. The House Ways and Means Committee said the bill allows the president to raise duties to any level up to 100% on goods from countries that knowingly purchase Russian crude or natural gas, subject to the conditions in the legislation. It also covers countries that were among the five largest importers of Russian oil or gas during the most recent 12-month period.
India has been one of Russia’s largest crude oil customers since the Ukraine war disrupted established energy trade routes. Data cited by the Economic Times showed that India imported $40.8 billion worth of Russian crude in fiscal 2026, accounting for nearly one-third of its total crude oil imports.
The legislation gives Washington another instrument to put economic pressure on countries that continue buying Russian energy. The bill also targets Russian officials, financial institutions and vessels involved in the country’s oil trade.
The House vote followed more than a year of negotiations over the sanctions package. The measure was named after the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who had pushed for tougher action against Moscow.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had urged US lawmakers to support the legislation before the vote. “During the war, it is sometimes better to make a not-so-perfect decision than to do nothing,” he said in a post on X.
Trump now gets the decision
The Senate passed the legislation by an overwhelming majority on August 7. The House then took up the measure after months of debate over the extent of the president’s tariff powers. The final House vote was 262-159, with support from lawmakers of both parties.
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith said the legislation would give Trump additional tariff authority while tightening sanctions on Russia. The committee said the bill also directs the president to impose tariffs of up to 500% on Russian goods and allows duties of up to 100% on goods from countries that meet the specified Russian energy-import conditions.
The bill also extends sanctions on Iran through 2031, a provision added during negotiations to secure Trump’s support for the package. It includes measures against Russian financial institutions, officials and the shadow fleet of vessels involved in sanctions evasion.
The House passage therefore gives Trump additional powers over trade with countries buying Russian energy. Whether those powers are used against India will depend on decisions taken by the administration after the bill becomes law.
What it means for India
The immediate development for New Delhi is the creation of a statutory route for Washington to target Indian exports because of India’s Russian energy purchases. The legislation itself does not mean that every Indian product entering the US will automatically face a 100% duty.
India’s exposure comes from its position as one of the largest buyers of Russian crude. The United States has repeatedly objected to India’s purchases of Russian oil, while New Delhi has continued to buy Russian energy based on its domestic energy requirements and commercial considerations.
The new legislation comes at a time when India-US trade ties are also being negotiated. The possibility of additional tariffs gives the White House another policy tool in talks over India’s Russian oil purchases.
The bill now awaits Trump’s signature. Once enacted, the administration will have the additional authority provided by the Congress, including the power to impose tariffs of up to 100% on qualifying countries.
