US Legislation Threatens India's Energy Security with 100% Tariffs on Russian Oil Imports
The US has introduced legislation that significantly increases economic pressure on Russia over its involvement in the Ukraine war, and opens the door to 100% tariffs on countries including India for maintaining energy ties with Moscow. The 'Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026' was signed into law by President Donald Trump on September 18.
Raj Yadav, Assistant Professor at the Centre for Russian and Central Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), believes that this escalation in 'coercive geopolitics' will impact India's energy security. He notes that India is a strategic partner of Russia and has maintained extensive bilateral ties across areas including hydrocarbons and defence.
India has maintained that its decision to purchase oil from Russia will be guided by 'national interest', including adequate availability and prevailing global oil prices. However, Yadav warns that the proposed tariff mechanism also needs to be understood in the context of India's broader trade relationship with the US.