US Sanctions Bill Puts India’s Russian Oil Imports at Risk

The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 passed the House in a 262-159 vote, marking a significant escalation in Washington's pressure campaign. While the final legislation does not automatically trigger duties, it authorizes the White House to penalize ten specific countries—including India, China, and the UAE—to force a pivot away from Russian energy supplies. Democratic Congressman Steny Hoyer, who championed the inclusion of these nations, argued that the measure forces a clear choice for global importers of Moscow’s energy.

Opposition within the House remained sharp, with Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries and committee ranking member Gregory Meeks criticizing the bill as a vehicle for expanding presidential tariff authority rather than a strategic tool against the Kremlin. Despite internal party resistance, the bill’s passage reflects a growing bipartisan appetite for aggressive trade intervention. For New Delhi, the threat of 100 per cent tariffs creates immediate economic uncertainty. Aditi Nayar, Chief Economist at ICRA Ltd, warned that such measures would cast a significant downside risk on India's growth trajectory, further complicating a bilateral trade relationship already strained by existing penalties on goods linked to forced labor and previous disputes over reciprocal duties.