President Donald Trump signed into law a bill authorizing sweeping sanctions on Russia over its war in Ukraine on Sept. 18, days after Congress sent the legislation to the White House with bipartisan support.
The legislation, named the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, honors the late Republican senator who spent more than a year working on the measure before his sudden death in July. It was co-written with Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal.
The law sanctions Russian President Vladimir Putin, senior officials and oligarchs, along with Russian banks and financial institutions. It also targets Moscow’s energy and defense sectors and the so-called shadow fleet of tankers used to transport Russian oil while evading Western sanctions.
The legislation authorizes the administration to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest buyers of Russian oil and natural gas. The measure could have significant implications for China and India, among the largest purchasers of Russian crude.
READ: India, China could face 100% tariffs over Russian oil imports (September 17, 2026)
According to The Indian Express, India relies on imports for more than 88% of its crude oil needs, with Russia accounting for around half of those imports.
According to vessel-tracking data from commodity market analytics firm Kpler, India imported 2.08 million barrels per day of Russian oil in August, accounting for 45% of the country’s total oil imports. The share was even higher, at more than 50%, in the preceding two months.
Two analysts who spoke to The Indian Express on the condition of anonymity said India would almost certainly seek waivers. They said it could make sense for the U.S. to agree as a friendly concession, given the energy crisis caused by the war in Iran. A separate provision in the law extends sanctions on Iran’s energy and weapons sectors.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement Thursday, “This issue has been discussed at high levels in recent months with various US interlocutors. Its potential implications for not just the bilateral relationship but also the international energy market have been very clearly articulated by the Indian side.”
READ: India, US will resolve dispute over Russian oil purchases, White House official says (August 12, 2026)
With much of the West shunning Russian crude following Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Moscow began offering discounts on its oil to willing buyers.
Supporters of the legislation say it is intended to cut off the Kremlin’s funding for its war effort and pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who had lobbied lawmakers ahead of the vote, called the legislation “an extremely powerful tool.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson said the bill placed “maximum pressure” on what he called “the Russian war machine,” while Blumenthal said he hoped it would help bring Moscow to the negotiating table, telling Putin: “We have your number.”
Not all Democrats supported the legislation. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries opposed the bill, warning that its tariff powers could raise costs for American families and criticizing its sanctions provisions as full of “loopholes.”