U.S. Senate Bill seeks 100% tariffs on India, 4 other nations for buying Russian oil
A new U.S. Senate bill proposes 100% tariffs on the top five purchasers of Russian oil, including India and China, to cut off funding for the war in Ukraine. The legislation includes specific exemptions for European nations reducing their reliance on Russian gas and for U.S. nuclear and space sector cooperation.
Why it matters
If passed, this bill would significantly escalate trade tensions between the U.S. and major emerging economies while attempting to cripple the Russian war machine.
A Bill seeking to impose 100% tariffs on five countries , including India and China, for buying Russian oil, while exempting European nations purchasing gas from Moscow, was introduced in the U.S. Senate with the support of over 60 lawmakers.
The Bill, introduced on Thursday (July 16, 2026), was conceived by Democrat Senator Richard Blumenthal and late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.
It is designed to deprive Russian President Vladimir Putin of revenue used to finance the war against Ukraine by imposing mandatory sanctions on Russia's political leadership, financial institutions, energy sector, and sanctions evasion networks.
Mr. Blumenthal had said on Tuesday (July 14, 2026) that the proposed legislation was aimed at imposing 100% tariffs on five major purchasers of Russian oil — China, India, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan.
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