New Delhi: The United States Senate is ready to vote on a bipartisan sanctions bill that is geared toward ratcheting up pressure on Russia amid its ongoing military aggression in Ukraine. The new sanctions bill includes provisions that allow the president, Donald Trump, to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on goods from countries that continue to purchase large amounts of Russian oil and natural gas.
India has emerged as one of the largest consumers of Russian crude oil since 2022, alongside China, Japan, and several other European countries.
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Why is India Under Scrutiny?
The new tariffs are meant to deter any further purchase of energy resources by the listed countries, as such transactions constitute one of the most important sources of income for Russia. In case the new sanctions bill gets approved and the power of imposing tariffs is exercised, there will be more focus on energy supplies of Russia to India and trade relations between the two countries.
However, the new sanctions bill is still at its preliminary stage as it needs to be approved first by both the Senate and House of Representatives and then signed into law by the president.
Bill Goes Further Than Russia
The bill, which has been renamed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, also expands sanctions on Iran. It seeks to cut down financing for Russia’s military invasion while tightening sanctions on Iran’s energy and defense industries.
The Senate voting comes at a time when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in the United States for meetings with American leaders and lawmakers. The bill is also being described as a tribute to the late Senator Lindsey Graham, who was a proponent of tough sanctions on Russia.
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Although the bill enjoys support from both sides of the aisle, some legislators have noted that expansion of presidential tariff authority might increase the cost of living for Americans.
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