A group of U.S. senators has introduced a revised bill that could impose tariffs of up to 100% on India and four other countries for buying Russian oil. The proposal is part of a wider push to increase pressure on Moscow over the war in Ukraine.
Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said the measure is not just a tariffs bill. He described it as a broader sanctions package that would place full blocking sanctions on large parts of the Russian economy. According to him, the goal is to hit Russia’s energy, defense, financial and industrial sectors.
The bill targets the five biggest buyers of Russian oil. These are China, India, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan. If passed, it would allow the United States to raise tariffs on imports from these countries by as much as 100%.
The revised version is less harsh than an earlier draft that reportedly proposed a 500% tariff. The newer draft reduces the threat to 100% and also gives the U.S. president the power to waive the penalties if doing so serves the national interest.
India’s inclusion in the bill has drawn attention because the country continues to buy Russian crude at discounted rates. New Delhi has defended its energy imports as a matter of national interest and energy security.
The proposed legislation has not become law yet, but it signals growing pressure in Washington on countries that continue trading with Russia. Supporters of the bill argue that Russian oil revenues help sustain the war in Ukraine. Critics are likely to see it as a trade and diplomatic warning aimed at countries that maintain energy ties with Moscow.
For India, the development could become an important foreign policy and trade issue if the bill advances further in the U.S. Congress. It may also add fresh strain to an already sensitive energy and strategic relationship between Washington and New Delhi.
