Trump backs bill proposing 500% tariff on India, other countries

US President Donald Trump has approved a bipartisan Russia Sanctions Bill that could allow the United States to impose tariffs of at least 500 percent on countries such as India, China and Brazil for importing Russian oil.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who drafted the bill along with Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, said the legislation is aimed at cutting off funding for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“This bill will allow President Trump to punish those countries who buy cheap Russian oil fueling Putin‍‍`s war machine,” Graham wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

He added, “This bill would give President Trump tremendous leverage against countries like China, India and Brazil to incentivise them to stop buying the cheap Russian oil that provides the financing for Putin‍‍`s bloodbath against Ukraine. I look forward to a strong bipartisan vote, hopefully as early as next week.”

The proposed legislation, formally known as the Sanctioning of Russia Act 2025 (S. 1241), is intended to pressure Moscow into peace negotiations by severely damaging its economic lifelines.

Under the bill, the US president would be required to assess every 90 days whether Russia is refusing to negotiate a peace deal or has violated any agreement. If Russia is found to be non-compliant, mandatory sanctions would automatically come into effect.

The bill mandates tariffs of at least 500 percent on goods imported from any country that knowingly buys Russian oil, gas or uranium. This measure is aimed directly at major buyers such as China, India and Brazil.

Financial institutions and companies outside Russia that help facilitate Russia’s energy trade would face secondary sanctions.

The legislation would freeze the assets of Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, block Russian stocks from US exchanges and prohibit US investment in Russia’s energy sector.

The bill signals a possible shift toward tougher economic pressure on countries that continue to support Russia’s economy through energy purchases.