US prepares 500% tariffs on India, China and Brazil, Trump approves new sanctions bill against Russia

Washington DC (The Uttam Hindu): US President Donald Trump has approved a proposed law introducing tougher sanctions against Russia. According to a report by The Economic Times, the bill includes provisions for strict economic action against countries that continue to buy oil from Russia. Under the proposed measures, import duties of up to 500 percent could be imposed on countries such as India, China, and Brazil.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said that he met President Trump at the White House on Wednesday, where both agreed to support the bill. The legislation has been in preparation for several months and is expected to be presented for voting in Parliament next week.

The proposed law has been named the “Sanctioning of Russia Act 2025.” Its main objective is to pressure countries that are purchasing discounted Russian crude oil amid the Ukraine war. The US believes such oil purchases are helping Russia financially and enabling it to continue the conflict.

At present, the US has already imposed an additional 25 percent duty on transactions linked to Russian oil. If the new bill is passed, challenges for India could increase further. Currently, India is already facing total tariffs of up to 50 percent.

These high duties have made it difficult for Indian products to remain competitive in the US market, affecting India’s exports. To address this issue, trade negotiations between India and the United States are currently underway.

India has demanded that the overall tariff burden of 50 percent be reduced to 15 percent and that the additional 25 percent punitive duty imposed for purchasing Russian crude oil be completely withdrawn. Both sides are hopeful that ongoing talks could lead to a concrete solution in the coming months.