As many as 60 US senators have backed a new bill proposing to impose a tariff of up to 100% on India and four other countries to buy Russian oil. The content of the bill, which was revealed on Friday, has received the support of US President Donald Trump and could be passed before August, according to the bill’s supporters in the Senate.
Senator John Thune, the Republican Senate Majority Leader, has signed onto the bill as one of the bill’s main proponents, which could lead to the bill’s passage in the Senate.
The bill, the Russia Sanctions Act of 2026, proposes to give the Trump administration the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest purchases of Russian oil or natural gas.
US Senators made clear earlier this week that the tariffs would target China, India, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan for purchasing Russian oil. The bill also provides for imposing tariffs on the five major countries that help Russia evade sanctions. The exact tariff rate will be determined by the US Trade Representative (USTR).
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However, the bill provides significant exemptions to European allies, who continue to purchase natural gas from Russia.
“The bill would exempt countries whose imports of Russian natural gas account for less than 15 percent of total Russian natural gas exports, and which are taking significant steps to reduce those imports. The bill calls for the US Trade Representative to reassess the top 5 buyers every 180 days, and can adjust tariff rates based on changes in purchasing behavior,” according to a summary of the bill released by senators supporting the measure.
The text of the bill also includes an exception for US purchases of low-enriched uranium used in its nuclear reactors.
In June, India’s imports of Russian crude oil rose to record highs, rising by 34% month-on-month. Indian purchases of Russian crude oil amounted to €4.5 billion in June, representing about 36% of Russia’s exports. This made India the second-largest buyer of Russian crude oil after China, according to the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air. In June, Washington allowed the general license that allowed countries – including India – to buy energy without US sanctions to expire.
The bill unveiled on Thursday is a watered-down version of the Russia Sanctions Act of 2025, which was introduced in the US Senate in April last year and proposed a potential 500 percent tariff on countries that buy Russian energy, including India. The tariff was reduced to 100% and the scope of the tariff was limited to the five largest purchases of Russian oil or gas rather than being applied to a wider range of countries.
Importantly, the bill also includes a waiver provision that allows the US President to waive sanctions and duties imposed on any country as long as the Commander-in-Chief provides Congress with justification and certification that the waiver is in the US national interest.
