The US House of Representatives has passed a bill that can impose up to 100% tariffs on countries purchasing Russian crude oil and natural gas.
The bill targets the 5 countries that imported the most Russian crude oil and natural gas in the past 12 months, with India and China specifically mentioned as targets.
In response to the bill's passage, India's Foreign Ministry stated its position that it will continue purchasing Russian crude oil citing energy security.
3-Line Summary
1. Up to 100% tariffs on Russia's oil-importing countries, including India
2. The top 5 countries in imports over the past 12 months are targeted
3. Final confirmation depends on presidential signature
House Procedure Vote Was Exceptional
According to reporting by The Hindu, the US House of Representatives on the evening of September 15 (local time) passed a procedure vote 214 to 211 to advance to the full floor a bill that would allow up to 100% tariffs on countries importing Russian crude oil and natural gas. Such procedure votes typically split along party lines, but this time two Democratic representatives cast their votes with Republicans, reportedly leaving House Democratic leadership embarrassed. The bill, named the "Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026" after Senator Lindsey Graham, was already passed by the Senate on August 7 with an overwhelming margin of 86 to 11. The House gave final passage to the bill on the 16th in the full chamber, and now only awaits the signature of President Donald Trump.
Why India Was Targeted
The bill allows tariffs of up to 100% to be imposed on countries among the top 5 importers of Russian crude oil and natural gas in the 12 months preceding the law's effective date that continue purchasing beyond 30 days after the law takes effect. While the original version passed by the Senate contained no specific country names, the House version explicitly identifies China and India as the leading trading partners for Russian crude oil. In addition to this, the bill also includes sanctions on Russia's leadership and energy sector, sanctions on the so-called "shadow fleet" that transport oil to evade sanctions, and an extension of existing sanctions on Iran. During the voting, the "Ukraine Action Summit" convened by pro-Ukraine organizations in Washington to urge lawmakers to continue support for Ukraine.
India Responds with "Diversified Sourcing"
According to reporting by Scroll.in, in response to news of the bill's passage, India's Foreign Ministry issued a statement that it would "continue to secure energy security in line with diversified procurement and changing market conditions." This is read as India's intent not to reduce purchases of Russian crude oil ahead of the law's implementation. India has been reported to have increased purchases of Russian crude oil so far this year even while negotiating a preliminary trade agreement with the United States. However, the bill requires the President's signature to take actual effect, and the timing and whether the President will sign have not yet been confirmed. The House enters early recess starting the 17th and does not reconvene until November 9, after the midterm elections. Whether actual tariffs will be imposed on India depends on the President's signature and whether India continues purchasing Russian crude oil during the subsequent 30-day grace period.
References
Tags #India #RussianCrude #USHouse #RussiaSanctionsBill #Tariffs #Trump #RussiaSanctions #IndiaUSTrade #OilImportingNations #EnergySecurity #UkraineWar #ChinaTariffs #IndiaForeignMinistry