Congress slams US 100% tariff on Russian oil buyers

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.