Swapna Kumbar , Bengaluru - The U.S. has revised its Russia sanctions proposal, cutting the threatened tariff on major buyers of Russian oil and gas from 500% to 100%. The update is seen as a major relief for India and China, both of which rely heavily on Russian energy imports.

The new version limits the maximum tariff on the five biggest buyers of Russian oil and natural gas to 100%, replacing the earlier blanket 500% threat. That shift significantly reduces the immediate economic pressure on countries that continued buying Russian energy despite Western sanctions. It also gives the White House more flexibility, since the bill reportedly includes waiver authority if the president decides it is in the U.S. national interest.

The revised proposal also creates an exception for countries importing less than 15% of Russia’s natural gas exports, provided they are making significant efforts to reduce those imports. That could potentially exempt Japan, France, Hungary and Belgium. According to the reporting, the top five purchasers of Russian crude include China, India, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan, while major Russian gas importers include China, France, Japan, Hungary and Belgium.

For India, the lower cap is important because a 500% tariff would have been far more disruptive to trade and energy planning. For China, the same revision softens the risk of a severe secondary-sanctions shock. The move does not end pressure on Russia, but it does make the sanctions framework less extreme and more selective.

The revised bill marks a clear easing of Washington’s earlier hardline approach, especially for large energy importers. While the threat of penalties remains, the reduction from 500% to 100% gives India and China meaningful breathing room as the debate over Russia sanctions continues.