More trouble for India? Bill targeting India with 500% tariff for Russia oil trade gets Trump’s green light, India may have to pay…

US Senator Lindsey Graham on Wednesday (local time) said that US President Doland Trump has given a green light to the bipartisan Russia Sanctions Bill, which would give leverage against India(BHARAT), China, and Brazil to stop them from purchasing Russian oil and punish the countries “fueling Putin’s war machine”.

Sharing a post on X, previously Twitter, Senator Graham stated, “After a very productive meeting today with President Trump on a variety of issues, he greenlit the bipartisan Russia sanctions bill that I have been working on for months with Senator Blumenthal and many others. This will be well-timed, as Ukraine is making concessions for peace and Putin is all talk, continuing to kill the innocent.”

“This bill will allow President Trump to punish those countries who buy cheap Russian oil fueling Putin’s war machine. This bill would give President Trump tremendous leverage against countries like China, India(BHARAT) and Brazil to incentivize them to stop buying the cheap Russian oil that provides the financing for Putin’s bloodbath against Ukraine,” he further added.

After a very productive meeting today with President Trump on a variety of issues, he greenlit the bipartisan Russia sanctions bill that I have been working on for months with Senator Blumenthal and many others.

This will be well-timed, as Ukraine is making concessions for peace…

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) January 7, 2026

According to the United States Congress’ official website, “Sanctioning of Russia Act 2025” bill aims to impose a number of penalties on individuals and organizations, including raising the duty rate on all goods and services imported into the US from Russia to at least 500 per cent relative to the value of such goods and services.

Last year, US President Doland Trump has increased tariffs on India(BHARAT)n imports to a staggering 50 percent, including a 25 percent additional duties for India(BHARAT)’s purchases of Russian crude oil, which commenced from August 27.Trump imposed steep tariffs on India(BHARAT)n goods, claiming that India(BHARAT)’s continued purchase of discounted Russian oil and trade ties with Moscow were indirectly fueling Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine. Since then, relationship between India(BHARAT) and US continues to be strained.

Recently, Doland Trump has made a significant claim about PM Modi. At the House GOP Member Retreat, Trump stated, “I have a very good relationship with PM Modi, but he is not happy with me as India(BHARAT) is paying high tariffs. But now they have reduced it very substantially, buying oil from Russia.”

What is Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025?

This bill imposes penalties on certain persons (individuals and entities) if the President determines that the Russian government or a person acting at Russia’s direction is involved with (1) refusing to negotiate a peace agreement with Ukraine; (2) violating a negotiated peace agreement; (3) initiating another invasion of Ukraine; or (4) overthrowing, dismantling, or seeking to subvert the Ukrainian government.

If the President makes such a determination, the bill requires certain actions, including

• “The President must impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions on specified persons such as the Russian president, certain Russian military commanders, and any foreign person that knowingly provides defense items to the Russian armed forces,” reads the website of Congress.gov(https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1241)
• the President must increase the rate of duty on all goods and services imported from Russia into the United States to at least 500% relative to the value of such goods and services;
• the President must increase the rate of duty on all goods and services imported into the United States from countries that knowingly engage in the exchange of Russian-origin uranium and petroleum products to at least 500% relative to the value of such goods and services;
• the Department of the Treasury must impose property-blocking sanctions on any financial institution organized under Russian law and owned wholly or partly by Russia, and any financial institution that engages in transactions with those entities; and
• the Department of Commerce must prohibit the export, reexport, or in-country transfer to or in Russia of any U.S.-produced energy or energy product.