India Resists US Pressure to Ditch Russian Oil Amid Tariff Threat
India's reliance on Russian crude oil is unlikely to wane despite the threat of up to 100% tariffs on its products in the United States. This month, US President Donald Trump signed into law the 'Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026,' which authorizes expanded sanctions, tariffs, and prohibitions on Russia.
India is the second-largest importer of Russian crude oil, behind China, with imports from Russia accounting for nearly half of all Indian crude purchases in recent months. This makes India a prime target for potential US tariffs under the new law.
According to Prerna Gandhi, an associate fellow at the Indian think tank Vivekananda International Foundation, 'Replacing Russian crude quickly could raise India's import bill and domestic inflation, particularly when the Middle East is already facing supply and shipping disruptions and Brent is above $100.'