Buy oil elsewhere: US senator Richard Blumenthal warns India as tariff threat over Russia grows

India faces the risk of US tariffs of up to 100 per cent on Russian energy purchases after the US House passed a sanctions bill and sent it to President Donald Trump. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal warned India to buy oil elsewhere, while New Delhi said it would protect its trade and economic interests.

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US Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal has warned India and China against buying Russian oil and gas, saying they should “buy your oil and gas somewhere else” and that “appeasement is not a strategy”. His statement came as the US House of Representatives passed a bill that would allow President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on major buyers of Russian energy under specific circumstances.

The legislation has already cleared the Senate and now goes to Trump. If it is signed into law, India could face tariffs of up to 100 per cent. Blumenthal also supported stronger economic and military backing for Ukraine and said the measure was intended to step up pressure on Russia over its war in Ukraine.

After the Senate passed the bill last month, the House of Representatives approved it by 262 votes to 159 on Wednesday and sent it to Trump’s desk. The measure is aimed at cutting off the energy revenues that help fund Russia’s war in Ukraine by penalising countries that buy Russian oil and gas.

India has been one of the top buyers of Russian energy since President Vladimir Putin attacked Ukraine in 2022.

“To China and India: You better clean up your act. Buy your oil and gas somewhere else. Appeasement is not a strategy,” Blumenthal said.

The bill, formally titled the ‘Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026’, also extended the period of sanctions on Iran's energy and weapons sectors by five years.

The bill’s critics pointed out that it places too much power in the hands of the president. Even though many support aid to Ukraine and action against Russia, 152 lawmakers opposed the bill. The bill’s backers, however, have said it clearly limits new tariffs to countries buying Russian energy and helping evade sanctions.

Despite calling Putin his friend publicly several times, Trump has repeatedly indicated that he would sign the bill into law.

Following the bill’s passage, the Ministry of External Affairs said the matter had been discussed at high levels with the Trump administration. The MEA said: “Its potential implications for not just the bilateral relationship but also the international energy market have been very clearly articulated by the Indian side. The Indian side has also made clear its determination to take all necessary measures to protect its trade and economic interests. Government will work closely with Indian trade and industry bodies to deal with the implications of these developments.”

The bill now awaits Trump’s decision, with the proposed tariffs on buyers of Russian energy raising concerns for India while the Indian government has said it has conveyed its position and will act to protect the country’s trade and economic interests.

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