US House Passes Russia Sanctions Bill, Clearing Path for 100% Tariffs on India and China Over Oil

The US House of Representatives passed a sweeping Russia sanctions bill on Wednesday that gives President Donald Trump discretionary authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on India, China and other major buyers of Russian oil and gas, marking the most significant Ukraine-related sanctions package to clear Congress since Trump returned to office.

How the vote broke down

The Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 passed the House by a 262-159 margin, with 203 Republicans, 58 Democrats and one independent voting in favour, while seven Republicans and 152 Democrats opposed it. The Senate had already cleared the legislation by an overwhelming 86-11 vote in early August, meaning the bill now heads directly to Trump's desk for his signature.

What the bill actually does

The legislation targets Russia's leadership, its energy sector, and vessels accused of helping evade existing sanctions, while also expanding sanctions on Iran. Its most closely watched provision empowers the executive branch to levy tariffs of up to 100 percent on countries that continue importing Russian crude oil and natural gas, explicitly naming India and China as major buyers whose purchases the bill aims to curb. Crucially, the tariff authority is discretionary rather than automatic: the bill itself does not impose the tariffs, but instead hands Trump the option to invoke them under specified conditions once he signs it into law.

During Senate debate, Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal told reporters that China and India would be better off buying their oil and gas elsewhere, while Senator Jeanne Shaheen argued Russia has been using a shadow fleet of tankers to keep selling crude to buyers including China and India despite existing restrictions. The bill's passage comes just days ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's official visit to the United States, adding a layer of diplomatic complexity to its timing.

India's response

India's Ministry of External Affairs offered a measured first reaction, reaffirming that energy security for its 1.4 billion people remains a top priority pursued through diversified sourcing shaped by market dynamics rather than external pressure. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the government is closely following developments and is aware of the proposed legislation, adding that India's oil purchases are based on its broader approach to energy sourcing from multiple countries. Officials also indicated the government would work with domestic trade and industry bodies to assess and respond to the implications should Trump choose to invoke the tariff authority.

Why it matters for India

India has significantly increased its purchases of discounted Russian crude since 2022, a shift that has drawn periodic criticism from Washington but has also helped New Delhi manage its energy import bill. Because the tariff power in this bill is discretionary rather than mandatory, the immediate market impact may hinge less on the bill's passage and more on whether and when Trump decides to act on it. Even so, the legislation adds a fresh layer of uncertainty to India-US trade relations at a time when both sides have been working through other tariff disputes, and it puts New Delhi's energy diplomacy squarely back in the spotlight just as it prepares to navigate Xi Jinping's upcoming Washington visit from the sidelines.

This is an original summary based on public reporting. See our editorial policy for how we source, write, and correct our stories.