US House set to vote on bill allowing 100 per cent tariffs on India over Russian oil imports

The US House of Representatives is moving towards a vote on legislation that could give President Donald Trump the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries that continue to purchase Russian oil and gas. India has emerged as a key focus of the debate after a proposed House amendment specifically named it among the countries that could be subjected to such duties. The bill, known as the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, has already cleared the US Senate with an 86-11 vote. The House Rules Committee took up the measure as lawmakers prepared it for consideration by the full chamber. The bill seeks tougher sanctions against Russia and Iran while significantly expanding the US president’s authority to use tariffs against countries buying Russian energy.

What does the US bill mean for India?

The proposed legislation does not automatically impose a 100 per cent tariff on Indian goods. Instead, it would create a mechanism through which the US president could impose duties of up to 100 per cent on countries that purchase Russian-origin crude oil or natural gas or are involved in facilitating sanctions evasion. A House amendment sponsored by Democratic Representative Steny Hoyer sought to explicitly identify 10 countries as initially eligible for duties of up to 100 per cent under the secondary tariff provisions.

The listed countries are:

1. India
2. China
3. UAE
4. Turkiye
5. Azerbaijan
6. Hungary
7. Singapore
8. Kazakhstan
9. Kyrgyzstan
10. The Slovak Republic

However, an important distinction is that the Hoyer amendment was proposed during the House process and was not adopted by the Rules Committee. The committee voted 3-7 against making the amendment in order for consideration. Therefore, India’s inclusion in that proposed list should not be described as a tariff that has already been approved or imposed.

What did the Senate-approved version say?

The Senate-passed version did not specifically name India or the other countries listed in the House amendment. Instead, it used a broader framework that could cover the five largest importers of Russian oil and gas by volume. The legislation is designed to increase economic pressure on Moscow by targeting Russian leadership, its energy revenues and vessels involved in sanctions evasion. It also provides the president with authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on major purchasers of Russian energy, subject to the conditions and exceptions contained in the legislation. The measure also contains provisions related to Iran, extending sanctions as part of the wider package.

Another House amendment sought to remove tariff powers

The tariff provisions have faced opposition inside the House. Representative Gregory Meeks, along with several Democratic lawmakers, proposed an amendment that would have removed the section giving the president broad authority to impose secondary tariffs. That amendment was also rejected by the House Rules Committee, which voted 3-7 against making it eligible for consideration on the House floor. The committee subsequently approved the rule for consideration of the legislation by a 7-3 vote.

The debate reflects a central issue surrounding the bill: while supporters view the tariff authority as a tool to increase pressure on countries purchasing Russian energy, opponents have raised concerns about granting the president broad powers to impose tariffs on trading partners.

Why is India in focus?

India has continued to purchase Russian crude, making it particularly relevant to the proposed US sanctions framework. New Delhi has maintained that its energy purchases are driven by national and energy-security considerations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin also discussed bilateral economic ties and energy-related issues during their September 11 meeting in New Delhi ahead of the BRICS summit. Experts believe that the proposed US legislation therefore has implications beyond the immediate Russia sanctions debate. If the broader tariff authority survives the House process and becomes law, India could potentially face additional trade pressure depending on how the US president exercises those powers and how the final legislation defines countries eligible for the duties.

(With inputs from ANI)

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