500% tariffs on India? About the Russia sanctions bill that Trump has ‘green lit’

Intensifying his efforts towards bringing an end to the Ukraine war by intensifying sanctions on Russia, US president Donald Trump has "greenlit" a bill which would not only increase sanctions on Moscow but also on its trade partners, including India.

As per Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, Trump has given the nod for a bipartisan Russian sanctions bill. Speaking to reporters, Graham added that he is hopeful that a vote on the same will take place as soon as next week.

“After a very productive meeting today with President Trump on a variety of issues, he greenlit the bipartisan Russia sanctions bill. I look forward to a strong bipartisan vote, hopefully as early as next week," said Graham in his statement.

The Republican lawmaker added that this bill will "allow" Trump to "punish countries who buy cheap Russian oil fueling Putin's war machine".

Targeting Russia's trade partners, this list of countries will also include India, which is already paying a high tariff due to its purchase of Russian oil.

In August 2025, Trump announced an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian goods as a "penalty for India's purchase of Russian oil."

Along with India, China and Brazil will also be under the scanner, echoing Trump's previous threats to BRICS nations.

The 'Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025' will focus on taking action against certain persons and countries that have been determined by the US President as acting on Russia's direction and hindering the peace deal to end the war in Ukraine.

The bill lays out four conditions on which a person or a country can be sanctioned under this law. These are: (4) overthrowing, dismantling, or seeking to subvert the Ukrainian government.

If charged under this, the bill calls on the President to impose a range of sanctions such as visa bans and tariffs as high as 500%.

Additionally, the bill also calls on the Treasury Department to impose property-blocking sanctions and the Commerce Department to ban the export, reexport, or in-country transfer to or in Russia of any US-produced energy or energy product.

India is currently already paying a high tariff to the United States. During his "Liberation Day" exercise in 2025, Trump renewed and imposed fresh sanctions on all trade partners of the US, triggering various trade tiffs.

With India, the initial tariff announced stood at 25 percent. However, months after the Liberation Day announcement, Trump announced an additional 25 percent tariff on India for "fueling the war in Ukraine through its purchase of Russian oil".

With this, the total number of levies on India was increased to 50 percent, joining the list of countries facing the highest US tariff along with Brazil.

With the new year of 2026, Trump hinted that he may increase the tariff on India once again. Without giving more context, the US president added that this decision, if made, would be because of New Delhi's continued purchase of Russian oil.

"Modi is a good guy. He knew I was not happy, and it was important to make me happy," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, adding that India does trade with Russia and “we can raise tariffs on them very quickly.”

However, under this bill, if passed, Trump “must” increase the tariffs to “at least 500 percent” for “all goods and services imported into the United States from countries that knowingly engage in the exchange of Russian-origin uranium and petroleum products".