Trump Backs Russia Sanctions Bill; India Could Face Up To 100% Tariffs Over Russian Oil

New Delhi: US President Donald Trump has thrown his weight behind a bipartisan Russia sanctions bill that could significantly impact India and other major buyers of Russian energy, as Washington steps up pressure on Moscow over the Ukraine war.

The legislation, originally drafted by the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and co-sponsored by Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, initially proposed imposing 500% tariffs on countries continuing to buy Russian oil, gas and uranium. India and China, among the largest importers of Russian crude, were seen as the primary targets.

The legislation, dubbed by some colleagues the "Lindsey Graham Russia Accountability Bill," was formally announced on Capitol Hill on Tuesday by Senators Richard Blumenthal and Jeanne Shaheen, along with Republicans Roger Wicker, Katie Britt and more than a dozen other lawmakers from both parties.

It comes promptly after the death of Senator Lindsey Graham, who spent nearly two years negotiating the measure and whom colleagues repeatedly credited as its driving force.

Senator Blumenthal, the lead Democratic sponsor, said the bill goes far beyond tariffs, imposing full blocking sanctions on large parts of Russia's economy, its energy and financial sectors, its defence industry, oligarchs and businesspeople, and Russian President Vladimir Putin himself.

However, senators have now unveiled a revised version of the bill, significantly softening its most controversial provision. Instead of a blanket 500% tariff, the legislation would now allow tariffs of up to 100% on the top five buyers of Russian energy, including India and China, while giving the US President greater flexibility in implementation.

A White House official confirmed that Trump supports the sanctions bill, signalling the administration's backing for stronger economic measures against Russia and countries helping sustain its energy revenues.

Besides targeting countries importing Russian energy, the bill proposes sweeping sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin, senior Russian officials, financial institutions, energy infrastructure, and Moscow's "shadow fleet" used to circumvent existing sanctions. It also grants the US President authority to waive certain sanctions if deemed in the national interest.

The revised legislation narrows its focus to the world's biggest purchasers of Russian crude while creating exemptions for countries that import less than 15% of their gas from Russia and are actively reducing dependence.

The proposal has gathered broad bipartisan backing in the US Senate and is being pushed forward as part of Senator Graham's legislative legacy following his death. Senate leaders are expected to move the bill ahead in the coming weeks.

If enacted, the legislation could place India under fresh trade pressure from Washington, even as New Delhi has consistently defended its purchase of discounted Russian crude, maintaining that its energy imports are guided by national interest and energy security.

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