The US House of Representatives passed a bill on September 16, 2026, by a vote of 262-159 that would give President Donald Trump the authority to impose additional tariffs of up to 100% on countries that continue to purchase energy from Russia or help Moscow evade sanctions. The bill targets Russia, China and Iran and will now be sent to President Trump for his signature.
Under the Lindsay O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, Trump would be authorized to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries that continue purchasing Russian energy or assist Russia in evading sanctions. The bill was also approved by the US Senate last month.
India is among the top five buyers of Russian petroleum products. If Trump decides to impose additional tariffs under the legislation, India could be affected by US tariffs because of its purchases of Russian oil.
The legislation provides for an additional 100% tariff on the top five energy importers and countries that purchase Russian crude oil or natural gas or assist Russia in evading sanctions. However, whether tariffs will be imposed on India will depend on Trump's decision.
The proposed legislation would also allow Trump to impose a one-time tariff of up to 500% on Russian goods imported into the United States. The authority to impose additional tariffs targeting countries that purchase Russian energy is set to expire after five years.
The bill also includes provisions for sanctions targeting Russia's leadership and energy sector, as well as action against vessels accused of helping evade restrictions on the supply of oil from Moscow. Additional sanctions against Iran are also included in the legislation.
