US House Set To Vote On Bill Allowing 100% Tariffs On India Over Russian Oil Imports

An amendment names India among 10 countries eligible for the duties, though the bill itself doesn't impose the tariff automatically

PGurus Newsdesk

September 16, 2026

US House bill names India among 10 countries facing possible 100 percent tariffs

India has already faced a 50 percent US tariff since 2025 over its Russian oil purchases, and says it is closely tracking the new bill

The US House of Representatives is set to vote on a Russia sanctions bill that could hand President Donald Trump the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on countries buying Russian oil — with a proposed amendment specifically naming India among the nations eligible for such duties. The House Rules Committee has already advanced the legislation, and passage is expected when the final vote comes up on Wednesday.

What The Bill Actually Does

The legislation in question, the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, cleared the Senate by an overwhelming 86-11 vote last month. That Senate version didn’t name any countries directly — it referred instead to the five largest importers of Russian oil and gas by volume, leaving the specifics to be determined later. An amendment introduced in the House by Democratic Congressman Steny Hoyer changes that, explicitly listing 10 countries eligible for the tariffs: China, India, Turkiye, Azerbaijan, Hungary, the Slovak Republic, the UAE, Singapore, and others.

It’s worth being precise about what this amendment does and doesn’t do: it does not itself impose a 100 percent tariff on India. It identifies India as eligible for such duties if the broader bill becomes law and the President chooses to exercise the authority it grants him. A separate amendment from Democratic Congressman Gregory Meeks and co-sponsors is attempting to strip out that broad secondary-tariff authority altogether, though its prospects look uncertain given the House’s limited working days before recessing ahead of the November 3 midterms.

Sanctions On Russia, Leverage Over Everyone Else

Beyond the tariff provisions, the bill targets Russian President Vladimir Putin, senior Russian officials, financial institutions and energy projects tied to Moscow’s war effort, and extends sanctions to older, reflagged oil tankers used to evade existing restrictions. The underlying logic is straightforward: squeeze the countries funding Russia’s oil trade to squeeze Russia’s war chest.

Not India’s First Brush With This

This wouldn’t be the first time Washington has used tariffs to pressure New Delhi over Russian oil. Trump previously imposed an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian goods in August 2025 — on top of an earlier 25 percent duty — bringing total levies to 50 percent, a move India’s MEA called “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable” at the time, arguing its oil purchases were driven by energy security needs for 1.4 billion people. India has said since Senator Graham first floated an even steeper 500 percent tariff proposal back in July that it is “closely following developments,” while EAM S Jaishankar has directly shared India’s concerns with Graham himself.

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