US House Committee Considers Russia Sanctions Bill Naming India for Up to 100 Percent Tariffs on Goods Over Russian Oil Purchases

The US House Rules Committee reviewed legislation on September 14 that could grant the President authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on countries including India that continue purchasing Russian crude oil or natural gas, according to multiple outlets reporting on the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. The Senate passed the underlying bill 86-11 on August 7, and the House committee considered it ahead of a potential floor vote before the midterm recess. Two Democratic amendments highlighted internal divisions: Representative Steny Hoyer proposed explicitly naming India, China and eight other countries as eligible for the duties, while Representative Gregory Meeks and three colleagues proposed scrapping the tariff provision entirely. The Rules Committee left the Senate provision intact as the bill advanced. The legislation does not automatically levy tariffs but creates a framework for future presidential action. India imported 52.7 billion dollars worth of Russian oil in 2024, second only to China at 62.6 billion dollars, making it a primary target if the provision becomes law. For India, the risk is asymmetric: the bill would expose approximately 80 billion dollars in annual US-bound exports to potential new duties, compounding the existing 50 percent tariff already in place since August 2025 when President Trump imposed an additional 25 percent levy on Indian goods over Russian oil purchases. US business groups including the Chamber of Commerce and National Retail Federation have warned the provision could raise consumer costs and weaken long-term Ukraine support. The immediate question is whether Congress gives Trump the broad secondary-tariff authority or whether internal opposition forces a compromise that narrows or removes the provision before final passage.