The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 passed the Senate by an 86-11 vote and will now move to the House of Representatives, which is scheduled to reconvene on August 31.
The legislation does not automatically impose the proposed tariffs. Instead, it would give President Donald Trump authority to levy tariffs of up to 100 per cent on goods from countries ranked among the five largest purchasers of Russian oil or natural gas. China, India, Azerbaijan, Hungary and Slovakia are currently identified among those buyers.
The US Senate has passed a bill allowing President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on goods from major buyers of Russian energy, including India and China.
Passed by an 86-11 vote, the legislation now heads to the House.
The tariffs would not be automatic, with their implementation remaining at the President’s discretion.
For India, the legislation represents a potentially significant trade risk because the country has become one of the largest purchasers of Russian crude since the Russia-Ukraine war began in 2022. Indian refiners increased purchases of discounted Russian oil as they sought to diversify supplies and manage energy costs.
The proposed tariff authority could add another layer of uncertainty for Indian exporters already facing elevated US trade barriers. Washington imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods in August 2025 over India’s purchases of Russian oil, taking the overall tariff burden on some Indian products to 50 per cent.
The Senate bill is designed to increase economic pressure on Moscow by targeting countries whose energy purchases provide revenue to the Russian economy.
However, any additional tariffs would depend on several further steps. The House must first approve the legislation, after which it would require the President’s signature to become law. Even then, the legislation gives the President discretion over whether and how to use the tariff authority.
The bill also provides exceptions for countries that obtain less than 15 per cent of their natural gas from Russia and are taking steps to reduce their dependence on Russian supplies. It additionally allows the White House to waive sanctions or restrictions when the President certifies to Congress that doing so is in the US national interest, as reported by US media.
The bipartisan legislation was championed by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal. Following Graham’s death on July 11, his sister Darline Graham succeeded him in the Senate and supported passage of the measure named in his honour.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)
