Former diplomat K.P. Fabian on Saturday, 19 September 2026, said India should not be intimidated by the sweeping Russia sanctions legislation signed into law by US President Donald Trump, and called on the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to summon the US Ambassador to New Delhi in protest. His remarks came hours after Trump formally signed the bill, which grants his administration broad authority to impose punitive tariffs on major importers of Russian energy.

What the Law Does

The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 was passed by the US House of Representatives by 262-159 on Wednesday and had earlier cleared the US Senate by 86-11 on 7 August. The legislation empowers the US President to impose tariffs of up to 500 per cent on Russian goods and up to 100 per cent on imports from countries identified as major buyers of Russian oil and gas. The House Ways and Means Committee confirmed that additional countries could be added to the list following reviews by the US Trade Representative every 180 days.

The package broadly targets Russian officials, banks, energy interests, and foreign entities supporting Moscow's military operations against Ukraine, with the stated aim of draining the financial resources sustaining Russia's war effort.

India in the Crosshairs

According to Fabian, the five largest importers of Russian exports are the primary targets of the new tariff provisions. He cited figures showing China accounts for 50 per cent of Russian exports, India for 37 per cent, Turkey for 5 per cent, the European Union for 5 per cent, and Azerbaijan and Hungary together for another 3 per cent.

On India's position specifically, Fabian said, 'As far as India is concerned, it is my reckoning that, given Trump's style of functioning, he would use this as a threat to make India sign on the dotted line on the interim trade deal. How will India react? I don't think India will be intimidated. The External Affairs Ministry should summon the US envoy over this.'

Notably, the law hands President Trump significant discretionary power — meaning tariffs need not be automatic. As Fabian explained, 'It gives the President discretion. If he assesses that imposing these higher tariffs on a particular country is not in the national interest of the United States, he can decide not to impose them. So, it gives him a lot of spare cards to play.' Critics argue this discretion could be weaponised as leverage in bilateral negotiations, including the ongoing India-US trade deal talks.

The China Calculation

Fabian also weighed in on the bill's implications for China, the single largest importer of Russian energy. He suggested that the timing of an expected meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping — reportedly at the airport tarmac in the United States within days — makes full tariff enforcement against Beijing unlikely in the near term.

'I do not think that he will dare to impose 100 per cent tariffs on China. It's very clear. Another thing is that China can retaliate as well. Unless the Chinese have some assurance, why would Xi Jinping go there and waste his time?' Fabian said. The remark points to a broader diplomatic asymmetry: while India may face tariff pressure as a negotiating chip, China's economic scale and retaliatory capacity likely afford it greater insulation — at least for now.

What Happens Next

With the law now in force, all eyes turn to how the Trump administration operationalises the discretionary provisions. For India, the immediate question is whether New Delhi will formally register its objection — a step Fabian advocates through the summoning of the US envoy. Analysts note this is not the first time Washington has used energy-trade leverage as part of broader economic pressure, but the explicit statutory authority now at Trump's disposal gives the threat sharper teeth. The next US Trade Representative review, which could expand the country list, is due within 180 days.