Trump Signs Russia Sanctions Bill: India Among 10 Nations Facing Up To 100% US Tariffs
US President Donald Trump has signed the Russia sanctions bill into law, giving his administration the power to impose US tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries that buy Russian oil and gas. The move puts major Russian energy buyers such as India and China under fresh tariff pressure, although the law does not automatically impose a 100 per cent duty on either country. Trump signed the legislation two days after the Republican-led House of Representatives passed it by 262-159. The law is formally called the ‘Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026’ and is named after Senator Lindsey Graham, one of Ukraine’s staunch defenders in Washington, who died in July this year shortly after returning from a trip to Kyiv.
The legislation is aimed at reducing the financial resources supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine. It targets Russian officials, banks and energy interests, as well as foreign entities supporting Moscow’s military operations. It also includes sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin and senior figures in the Russian government.
The new law authorises Trump to impose tariffs on countries doing business with Russia, with the aim of reducing their dependence on Russian oil and gas. According to the House Ways and Means Committee, the legislation directs tariffs of up to 500 per cent on Russian goods.
It also allows duties of up to 100 per cent on goods from countries covered by provisions linked to Russian oil and gas purchases. These provisions cover major Russian energy importers and leading facilitators of oil sanctions evasion. The US tariffs would therefore depend on whether Trump decides to use the powers granted to him.
An amendment introduced by Democratic Congressman Steny Hoyer had sought to explicitly name 10 countries as eligible for US tariffs of up to 100 per cent under the bill’s secondary tariff provisions. The list included China, India, the UAE, Turkiye, Singapore, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Kyrgyzstan and Slovakia.
However, the amendment itself does not impose a 100 per cent duty on India. The new US tariffs could be imposed on Indian goods only if Trump chooses to exercise the power provided under the law.
If Trump does impose a 100 per cent tariff on India, it would come on top of the 10 per cent tariff the US currently imposes on imports from New Delhi as a penalty for not doing enough to stop the import of goods made using forced labour. The exact impact on Indian exports can be assessed only after Washington announces the tariff rates.
