# Congress slams US 100% tariff on Russian oil buyers

2026-09-20T20:33:25+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 2 independent outlets

The Congress party has condemned US President Donald Trump's decision to sign the Lindsay Graham Bill into law, which allows him to impose 100% tariffs on countries buying Russian oil, calling it an unjustified action with serious implications for India's energy security, economy and trade. Congress leaders Anand Sharma and Randeep Singh Surjewala said the move was hypocrisy and double standards, as the US exempted its own imports of uranium and fertilisers from the law. Surjewala accused the Narendra Modi-led government of abject capitulation to Washington at the cost of the Indian economy. He said India had failed to build counter-leverage and left an $86.5 billion export economy exposed. However, The New Indian Express reports that policy watchers believe Trump may use the Act to nudge India toward a bilateral trade deal. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal recently said India was waiting for Washington to offer a preferential rate. A separate editorial in The Hindu says the Act is more serious than previous tariff escalations because it has been passed by Congress and carries higher legal permanence. India has three options: cut Russian oil imports, bear the tariffs, or negotiate a low rate. Russia accounted for more than 51% of India's oil imports as of July 2026. There are 30 days before the US can levy tariffs. Minister Goyal's planned trip to the US for the G-20 Trade Ministerial at the end of this month will be critical.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

The Congress party's framing focuses on government failure and US hypocrisy, omitting that India had already tapered off Russian imports before the Iran conflict. The New Indian Express adds strategic context: Trump's midterm election pressure and China's exemption suggest the threat may be negotiation leverage. The Hindu editorial warns the law's permanence leaves India with hard choices and notes India's historical compliance with US pressure on oil imports. The balanced reading is that India has a narrow negotiating window before tariffs hit, with Minister Goyal's US trip and the 30-day timeline as the concrete markers.

## Coverage

- thehindu.com (neutral report) <https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/trumps-tariff-decision-can-hurt-energy-security-trade-economy-of-india-congress/article71488448.ece>
  Analytical editorial presenting options and historical context without partisan framing
- newindianexpress.com (neutral report) <https://www.newindianexpress.com/editorial/2026/Sep/20/let-us-polls-season-play-out-to-parry-trumps-tariff-threat>
  Reports policy watchers' view and government's prepared response without endorsing either
- thehindu.com (neutral report) <https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/serious-escalation-on-the-us-russia-sanctions-act-and-india/article71488040.ece>
  Analytical editorial presenting options and historical context without partisan framing

Tags: Anand Sharma, Congress, Donald Trump, Lindsey Graham bill, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Russian oil
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