India should not allow the threat of higher US tariffs to determine its energy policy and should continue buying Russian crude as long as it remains commercially attractive, the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) has said, as the US moves closer to giving President Donald Trump greater powers to penalise countries that continue purchasing Russian energy.
The US Senate on August 7 passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 by an 86-11 vote. The legislation could allow the US president to impose additional tariffs of up to 100% on goods from countries that continue buying Russian crude oil or natural gas and rank among the five largest buyers of Russian energy.
