India, China fuelling 'Putin's war machine': US Senator on sanctions bill

The US Senate moved a step closer to passing a bipartisan bill that would allow Trump to impose sanctions on countries, including India and China, that continue to buy Russian oil.

US Senator Richard Blumenthal on Tuesday blamed India and China for fuelling Moscow's war against Ukraine by continuing to purchase of Russian crude. His statement came after the US Senate passed a bipartisan bill that would allow President Donald Trump to impose sanctions on countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas and other exports.

 

“I want to be blunt. India and China are the main culprits since they purchase the vast majority of Russian oil and gas. They are fuelling Putin's war machine,” Blumenthal said.

 

‼️SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D-CT): The bill doesn't require tariffs. It authorizes tariffs up to a 100% to five largest purchasers of Russian oil and gas, it's carefully crafted to make sure we are not hitting our allies and that we are hitting China and India.  Let's be really… pic.twitter.com/rSLjMexqtA

— Kateryna Lisunova (@KaterynaLis) July 29, 2026

 

The proposed Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 advanced after the Senate voted 86-12 to begin formal consideration of the measure. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was at the US Capitol during the vote, also met lawmakers to press for continued US support. The proposed law still requires final approval in the Senate before moving to the House of Representatives for consideration.

 

Announcing the agreement on the legislation, a bipartisan group of senators said, “We are proud to announce an agreement on legislation to stop purchasers of Russian oil and gas from fueling Putin's war machine and to continue restricting the Iranian regime's ability to support terrorism and build its nuclear programme.”

 

What does the bill propose?

 

Named after late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who originally piloted the legislation, the bill seeks to tighten economic pressure on Russia over its war in Ukraine while extending sanctions on Iran.

 

It authorises the US President to impose primary and secondary sanctions on Russian officials, oligarchs, banks, financial institutions and entities supporting Moscow's war effort, including the so-called "shadow fleet" used to circumvent Western sanctions.

 

A key provision empowers the US President to levy targeted tariffs on imports from countries that continue to buy large volumes of Russian oil or gas or help Russia evade sanctions. However, it provides an exemption for countries that source less than 15 per cent of their natural gas imports from Russia and are taking steps to further reduce their dependence.

 

The legislation also extends the Iran Sanctions Act for an additional five years, keeping critical secondary restrictions in place until 2031.

India's trade with Russia 

India remains one of the largest buyers of Russian crude, making the country more exposed if the proposed legislation becomes law. According to commodities data firm Kpler, India imported a record 2.7 million barrels per day (bpd) of Russian crude in June and 2.6 million bpd during the first three weeks of July, accounting for more than half of the country's total crude imports.

 

New Delhi has also secured crude supplies until late August and is in talks to finalise cargoes for September from Russia and the Americas, Business Standard reported earlier.

 

Beyond oil, India's overall trade with Russia has continued to rise. Merchandise imports from Russia increased 52.6 per cent year-on-year during April-June FY27, reaching $25.6 billion compared with $16.77 billion in the corresponding period last year.