US Introduces Bill Seeking 100% Tariffs on India, China and Other Russian Oil Buyers
A bipartisan US Senate Bill backed by more than 60 lawmakers proposes 100% tariffs on India, China and other major buyers of Russian oil, while exempting several European countries importing limited Russian gas.
A bipartisan group of more than 60 US senators has introduced a bill that seeks to impose 100% tariffs on imports from five major purchasers of Russian oil, including India, China, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan, while exempting several European countries that continue to import limited volumes of Russian natural gas. The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026, introduced in the Senate on July 16, aims to curb Russia’s ability to finance its war in Ukraine by targeting countries that continue to purchase Russian crude or help Moscow evade international sanctions. The legislation was originally drafted by Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal and the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. It proposes mandatory sanctions on Russia’s political leadership, financial institutions, energy sector and sanctions evasion networks. Under the bill, the gas would impose tariffs on imports from countries that are among the world’s top five buyers of Russian crude oil or natural gas or among the top five facilitators of Russian oil sanctions evasion. The list of affected countries would be reviewed every 180 days by the US Trade Representative, allowing tariff rates to be adjusted based on changes in purchasing patterns. The proposed legislation exempts countries, primarily European nations, whose imports of Russian natural gas account for less than 15% of Russia’s total gas exports and which are taking meaningful steps to reduce their dependence on Russian energy. It also excludes US purchases of Russian uranium required for nuclear reactors and medical isotope production, as well as activities carried out under US-Russia cooperation in the nuclear and space sectors. An earlier version of the bill had proposed 500% tariffs on countries importing Russian oil and gas. The revised proposal lowers the tariff to 100%, while retaining its objective of increasing economic pressure on Moscow and its trading partners. If enacted, the legislation would mark the first time the US Congress has explicitly authorised tariffs as a geopolitical tool to penalise countries that continue to finance another nation’s war effort through energy trade. The bill has been named in honour of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, who died on July 11. His sister, Senator Darline Graham, who was appointed to complete his Senate term, urged lawmakers to pass the legislation, saying it would honour her brother’s commitment to US national security while providing President Donald Trump with additional leverage to push for an end to the war in Ukraine. The proposal comes amid growing scrutiny of India’s continued imports of discounted Russian crude and follows recent US trade measures, including a proposal last month to impose a 12. 5% tariff on imports from 54 countries, including India, over alleged forced labour concerns.