“Better Clean Up Your Act”: US Senator Richard Blumenthal Warns India to Buy Oil Elsewhere After US Passes Bill Threatening 100% Tariffs; MEA Responds

Key Points:

RIGHT AFTER THE UNITED STATES House of Representatives greenlighted the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 with a humongous margin of 262-159, US Senator Richard Blumenthal’s latest comment on India and China has started another political turmoil. The bill was officially passed on September 16, 2026, designed to target Russia by squeezing its energy trade sector dry.

The bill, which is named after the late Republican Senator from South Carolina Lindsey O. Graham, who passed away on July 11, 2026, gives authority to US President Donald Trump to impose tariffs on countries relying on Russian oil and gas. Currently, the bill has been sent to the White House, where it will be signed by the President of the United States (POTUS), turning the legislation into law. 

See Also: ‘It’s War’: Trump’s 50% Tariffs Take Hold After US-Canada Trade Talks Collapse

Senator Blumenthal Warns India and China

The legislation targets countries including India and China for their trade with Russia in oil and gas. Senator Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, USA has sent a warning to both India and China right after the US Congress passed the bill, urging them to find alternatives to Russia. Blumenthal’s remark was said in an address to the media after the bill was passed. 

“China and India, to you, you better clean up your act. Buy your oil and gas from somewhere else. Appeasement is not a strategy,” said Senator Blumenthal sneeringly.

Indian National Congress MP Pawan Khera condemned Blumenthal’s remarks, writing in an X post, “What kind of language is being used for our country?”

The bill reportedly has a direct effect on Russia, including its President Vladimir Putin, among others, as it targets Russia’s energy and defence sectors. Firstpost reported that the bill places President Trump in an advantageous position, allowing him to bleed Russia dry by attacking the country’s revenue sources that are allegedly used to fund Moscow’s war against Ukraine. Democratic Congressman Steny Hoyer named 10 countries in particular: India, China, Turkey, Singapore, the UAE, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Slovakia, and Kyrgyzstan.

How does the Russia and Iran Sanctions Act affect India?

The newly passed bill gives the POTUS the authority to impose a 100% tariff on countries including India, China, Slovakia, Hungary, and Azerbaijan—countries that trade with Russia for oil and gas. As per reports, the bill exempts countries that purchase less than 15% of Russia’s total natural gas exports. The exemption applies to countries that make efforts to reduce their dependence on Russia for oil and gas. 

See Also: Is Trump Taking Out His Nobel Prize Snub Disappointment on Xi Jinping? Reignites the Tariff War by Imposing an Additional 100% Tariff on China

MEA Issues Statement on Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act

On September 17, 2026, India issued a statement taking cognizance of the matter. In a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India emphasized that it would remain committed to ensuring energy security for the country’s 1.4 billion people. “It will continue to do so through diversified sourcing and on the basis of evolving market dynamics,” the statement further read.

The MEA further added that the issue had been discussed multiple times, adding, “Its potential implications for not just the bilateral relationship but also the international energy market have been very clearly articulated by the Indian side.” The statement also assured that the government would monitor further developments in order to address the matter’s future implications for the country.

According to multiple media reports, the POTUS is expected to sign the bill soon. While supporters have backed the legislation, many officials have also expressed their dismay over its passage, with Representative Gregory Meeks of New York saying that he does not support the tariff provisions of the bill.

Gregory Meeks, along with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, has shown support for pressuring Russia, but their dissent over the tariff provisions of the bill remains unbudged. The bill was passed with a vote of 262-159, with 203 Republicans, 58 Democrats, and one independent voter supporting it, while seven Republicans and 152 Democrats stood against the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. 

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(Edited by Harsh Pandey)

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