The US Senate has voted to advance a sweeping sanctions bill that could see President Donald Trump slap tariffs of up to 100 percent on countries buying large volumes of Russian oil and gas, with senators openly naming India and China as the legislation’s principal targets. 

The proposal is part of a wider effort by the US to increase pressure on Russia over the war in Ukraine. However, even if the bill becomes law, it will be up to President Trump to decide whether the tariffs should actually be imposed. 

US Senate moves closer to 100% tariffs on India

On Tuesday, the Senate voted 86-12 to pass a cloture motion, which limits debate and allows the bill to move toward a final vote. Cloture is a Senate procedure that clears the way for lawmakers to vote on a bill.

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The legislation is officially called the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. It was co-written by Senator Lindsey Graham before he died on July 11, and the bill has now been named in his memory.

The vote came hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met President Trump in Washington to seek stronger US action against Russia. Senators had also attended Graham’s funeral before returning to vote on the legislation. 

Blumenthal says India and China are the main targets 

Speaking after the Senate vote, Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, who helped write the sanctions bill with the late Lindsey Graham, made it clear that India and China are the main focus of the legislation.

He said the bill does not force President Trump to impose tariffs. Instead, it gives him the power to do so if he chooses.

Blumenthal said the bill “doesn’t require tariffs” but allows the President to impose duties of up to 100% on the five biggest buyers of Russian oil and gas. He also said the legislation was “carefully crafted to make sure we are not hitting our allies and that we are hitting China and India.”

Explaining why the two countries were singled out, Blumenthal said, “China and India are the main culprits here.” He argued that by continuing to buy Russian oil, both countries were helping fund Moscow’s war in Ukraine and were “doing us no favours anywhere else in the world.”

He also claimed that tariffs already introduced by the Trump administration had led India to significantly reduce its imports of Russian crude oil.

Besides India and China, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan were also mentioned as major buyers of Russian crude during discussions around the bill.

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What the bill proposes 

The bill is not only about tariffs.

It also proposes primary and secondary sanctions on the Russian government, wealthy Russian oligarchs and their family members, Russian banks and financial institutions, and other organisations accused of supporting Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine. It also targets ships linked to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” of oil tankers.

Under Section 113 of the bill, the five largest buyers of Russian fuel could face additional tariffs of up to 100%. 

Earlier versions of the proposal, backed by Lindsey Graham during 2025, had suggested tariffs as high as 500% on countries doing business with Russia’s energy sector. Reports had said President Trump had “greenlit” the idea in principle before senators later revised the bill and reduced the proposed tariff level.

Why India and China have been singled out 

According to an analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, China bought nearly half of Russia’s crude oil exports in a recent month, while India accounted for around 38% of those exports.

Both India and China have repeatedly said that buying Russian oil is an economic decision. They have maintained that the purchases are meant to meet their energy needs and should not be seen as political support for Russia.

India’s response 

India has earlier said it is closely watching the proposed legislation but has not indicated any change in its policy.

Responding to an earlier version of the bill, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India’s energy policy is guided by market conditions and the need to ensure affordable supplies for its people. He added that India’s position on energy imports is well known and will continue to depend on changing global market conditions.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has also questioned the tariff push in the past. He pointed out that the United States had earlier encouraged India to buy Russian oil to help keep global energy prices stable, saying that the earlier US position does not match the current move to threaten punitive tariffs.

What happens next?

After clearing the cloture vote, the bill now moves closer to a final vote in the Senate. If it is approved there, it must also pass the House of Representatives before it can be sent to President Trump for his signature.

Even if the bill becomes law, the tariff provision will not take effect automatically. The final decision on whether to impose tariffs on India, China or any other major buyer of Russian energy will rest with President Trump.