Trump signs Russia sanctions law, tariff threat looms over India, China: Can Africa become Putin’s next energy network?

US President Donald Trump has signed the Lindsey Graham Sanctions bill, which permits him to impose severe tariffs up to 100% on India and China, two of Russia's largest oil buyers. The bill, known as the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, was passed on September 18 and allows the US President to impose sanctions as high as 100% on countries purchasing oil from Russia.

India's Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) has expressed concerns that additional tariffs under this Act will be challenging for the Indian textile and apparel sector. The CITI Chairman, Ashwin Chandran, stated that the MSME-dominated Indian textile and apparel sector is already under stress due to multiple factors, including the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East.

He emphasized that such additional tariffs could severely impact the ability of Indian exporters to sell in the United States, India's most significant market.

With western countries reducing their imports of Russian oil following the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022, Russia has been turning towards its partners in Asia for sustenance. However, the looming threat of sanctions on both China and India has compelled Moscow to explore alternative options in Africa to maintain its extensive energy network. Russia boasts political, military, and logistical ties across the African continent, although no African nation is currently a major consumer of Russian crude oil.

The sanctioned tanker Progress experienced difficulties in January while transporting approximately 730,000 barrels of Urals crude towards the Suez Canal. Another Russian LNG carrier, Arctic Metagaz, recently entered the search-and-rescue zone in Libya after suffering damages in the Mediterranean.

Egypt stands out among African countries due to its significant involvement in Russia's energy trade. In August, Egypt became the fifth-largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels, purchasing goods worth €513 million, according to the CREA. Additionally, Russia has been expanding its military logistics network, which now links Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

According to an investigation conducted by the US-based Center for Advanced Defense Studies (C4DS), 75 flights were identified that supplied Russia-aligned military operations in countries like Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali during the period from January 2025 to July 2026.