US President Donald Trump on Wednesday urged lawmakers to amend a Russia sanctions bill that cleared a key Senate vote, proposing that the measure be expanded to give him broad authority to impose tariffs on Iran. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said adding Iran to the tariff provisions would be preferable to sanctions alone, a move that could slow the legislation as it moves to the House of Representatives.
The bill, authored by the late Senator Lindsey Graham and advanced on Tuesday, passed a Senate procedural vote by 86-12 and is designed to increase economic pressure on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. In addition to sanctions on Russian officials, the legislation would authorise the US president to levy tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil and gas — specifically naming India, China, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan — with the president retaining discretion to remove those tariffs.
While many Democrats back tougher measures on Russia, some have warned against granting the president unilateral authority to impose steep tariffs, saying such powers could raise import costs for American businesses and consumers. Those concerns have prompted resistance among some Democrats and could complicate the bill’s path as it must clear additional procedural stages in the Senate before moving to the House, which is scheduled to reconvene in September.
The measure carries particular implications for India. The United States first penalised India’s Russian energy purchases in August 2025 when Trump announced an additional 25% tariff, raising the total tariff on Indian goods to 50% — a level that matched tariffs imposed on China and Brazil and strained bilateral ties. After the US-Iran war broke out in February, disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz triggered an energy shock and, in response, the US granted a waiver on Russian oil that allowed India to resume purchases.
That waiver coincided with a sharp rise in Indian imports of Russian crude: data from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air showed a 34% increase in June 2026 to a record high, with imports worth €4.5 billion and accounting for roughly 36% of Russia’s crude export revenue. If the new bill becomes law, it could renew tensions between New Delhi and Washington and complicate ongoing negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement that aims to lower overall tariffs on Indian exports to about 18%.
For now, Indian goods enter the US at a temporary 15% tariff after the US Supreme Court struck down earlier tariff increases; that temporary rate was scheduled to expire on July 24. With inputs from agencies.
Original Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/not-necessary-but-trump-reacts-to-russia-sanctions-bill-that-threatens-100-per-cent-tariffs-on-india-101785383199335.html
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Publish Date: 2026-07-30 09:40:00
