The proposed law that would impose US tariffs on goods and services exported by countries that continue to buy Russian oil, natural gas, uranium and other petroleum products.
Published: July 11, 2026, 9:22 AM IST
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi
India could face fresh economic pressure as global crude oil prices continue to rise due to renewed fighting between the United States and Iran and US President Donald Trump’s announcement that the ceasefire with Tehran has ended. At the same time, four US senators have reached an agreement with the Trump administration to push forward a new sanctions bill targeting countries that continue to buy Russian energy.
The proposed bipartisan legislation aims to increase pressure on Russia by penalising countries that import its oil and natural gas.
The agreement was announced by Republican senators Lindsey Graham and Roger Wicker, along with Democratic senators Richard Blumenthal and Jeanne Shaheen. On Friday, they said they had worked with the Trump administration to move the revised Russia sanctions bill closer to becoming law.
In a joint statement, the senators said they had made significant progress and expected to introduce the updated legislation soon.
They also said Russia’s continued attacks on civilians made it necessary for the US government and lawmakers to work together on stronger measures. According to the senators, the new sanctions are meant to increase the cost for countries that continue buying Russian oil and gas, which they believe is helping to fund Russia’s war.
What does the proposed US sanctions bill say?
The four senators have strongly backed the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025, a proposed law that would impose US tariffs on goods and services exported by countries that continue to buy Russian oil, natural gas, uranium and other petroleum products.
The first version of the bill proposed a steep 500 per cent tariff on imports from countries purchasing Russian energy. At the time, Senator Richard Blumenthal described the measure as a “bone-crushing” penalty.
The bill also gives the US President the power to exempt a country from these sanctions for up to 180 days if doing so is considered to be in the national security interests of the United States.
According to US media reports, the bill has since been revised and the proposed tariff rates have been reduced. However, the Trump administration has not yet released the final version of the legislation.
Why is India being discussed?
Supporters of the bill have specifically mentioned India while speaking about countries buying Russian energy.
In June 2025, Senator Lindsey Graham wrote on X that countries such as India and China could face consequences if they continued purchasing Russian oil, saying they were helping support Russia’s war effort.
India continued importing Russian crude oil after the US Treasury issued a temporary general licence following the US-Iran conflict, allowing such purchases without attracting American sanctions. However, that licence expired on June 17.
