U.S. Senators unveil bill for 100% tariffs on India, four others for buying Russian oil

📌 Summary:

• A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators unveiled a bill to impose 100% tariffs on five countries — including India and China — for purchasing oil from Russia
• The bill, brokered by late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, exempts 15 European nations that buy Russian gas, arguing those purchases are a small fraction of their needs and they are reducing dependence on Moscow
• Rationale of sponsors: use secondary tariffs to choke Russia's oil revenues and pressure it over the Ukraine war
• Implication for India: threatens punitive tariffs on Indian exports for buying discounted Russian crude — a direct challenge to India's strategic autonomy and energy-security choices
• Tension flagged: perceived double standard (Europe exempted while Asian buyers penalised); India has consistently defended sovereign energy sourcing to keep domestic prices in check

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2 — India-U.S. relations, secondary sanctions, strategic autonomy; GS3 — energy security and effect on trade/exports

📝 Prelims Facts:

• "Secondary tariffs/sanctions" penalise third countries for trading with a sanctioned nation
• India has become a major buyer of discounted Russian crude since 2022
• A U.S. bill must pass both the Senate and House of Representatives and be signed by the President to become law

🔑 Key Term: Secondary sanctions/tariffs — measures targeting third parties (like India) that do business with a primary sanctioned country (Russia), to amplify economic pressure