US House Votes to Sanction India Over Russian Oil, Threatening 100% Tariffs
The US House of Representatives has passed a measure that could impose significant tariffs on India for its continued purchase of Russian oil. The legislation, included within the annual US defence authorisation bill, permits the US government to apply a 100% tariff on goods from any nation importing Russian crude oil or petroleum products above the G7-imposed price cap.
While the bill does not explicitly name India, it is widely understood to be the primary target of the provision, given its substantial imports of discounted Russian oil since the 2022 Ukraine invasion. India has become the largest buyer of seaborne Russian crude, significantly increasing its imports from negligible levels to over two million barrels per day at peak times.
This legislative development could place India in a difficult position, forcing it to reconsider its energy supply strategy or risk losing access to the critical US market. India’s external affairs minister, S. Jaishankar, previously stated the country would prioritise its own interests, noting that Russian oil accounted for only 0.2% of India's imports before the conflict. The US State Department has consistently stated that countries purchasing Russian oil within the G7 price cap would not face sanctions, but this new House measure appears to circumvent that understanding.
The US government, which has largely overlooked India's oil purchases thus far, may now have a mandated tool to exert pressure. This move underscores the ongoing Western effort to economically isolate Russia while maintaining a client state posture from strategic allies, even if it impacts their economic autonomy.
