UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — U.S. fast-tracks Russia sanctions tariff Act
Q1. In the context of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, the expression 'secondary sanctions' refers to which one of the following?
- A. Coercive measures directed at the sanctioned state's own banks, officials and oligarchs, resorted to only after an initial round of trade measures has failed to change its conduct
- B. Coercive measures triggered automatically against any country whose imports from the sanctioned state exceed 15 per cent of its total energy imports in a given year
- C. Coercive measures directed at persons and entities of third countries that transact with the sanctioned state, rather than at that state's own nationals and institutions
- D. Coercive measures adopted by a regional trading bloc in support of restrictions already legislated by the principal sanctioning state's own legislature
Q2. Consider the following in the context of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026:
1. Its tariff provision caps the additional duty at 100 per cent and confines it to the five countries purchasing the largest volumes of Russian fuel.
2. It exempts countries that source less than 15 per cent of their natural gas imports from Russia and are taking steps to reduce that dependence further.
3. It extends the Iran Sanctions Act by five years, keeping secondary restrictions in place until 2031.
4. It requires the US Department of Energy to reassess the list of the largest purchasers of Russian fuel every 90 days.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Its tariff provision caps the additional duty at 100 per cent and confines it to the five countries purchasing the largest volumes of Russian fuel.
- It exempts countries that source less than 15 per cent of their natural gas imports from Russia and are taking steps to reduce that dependence further.
- It extends the Iran Sanctions Act by five years, keeping secondary restrictions in place until 2031.
- It requires the US Department of Energy to reassess the list of the largest purchasers of Russian fuel every 90 days.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2, 3 and 4
- C. 1, 2 and 3
- D. 1 and 4 only
Q3. The Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, advanced by the US Senate in July 2026, carries the name of its lead sponsor, who represented which one of the following US States in the Senate?
- A. Connecticut
- B. Texas
- C. Ohio
- D. South Carolina
Q4. The US Senate carried a motion by 86 votes to 12 in July 2026 in respect of the Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. Which one of the following statements about that motion is correct?
- A. It was the vote on final passage, and the measure therefore became law immediately upon the Senate's approval of it
- B. It was a cloture motion, which sets a time limit on debate and related proceedings before the measure is put to a final vote
- C. It permanently barred the moving of any amendment to the measure on the floor of the Senate at any later stage
- D. It transmitted the measure directly to the President for signature, dispensing altogether with consideration by the House
Q5. With reference to the additional 10 per cent Section 301 duty applied to Indian goods in 2026, which one of the following statements reflects the Indian Government's own assessment of its coverage?
- A. A majority of India's exports to the US, about 55 per cent, attract the additional duty, the balance remaining outside its purview
- B. The entire basket of India's merchandise exports to the US attracts the additional duty, there being no product-level exclusions whatsoever
- C. Only those goods that are already covered by Section 232 measures attract the additional duty, every other export being wholly exempt
- D. Generic pharmaceuticals constitute the single largest category attracting the additional duty, all remaining categories being wholly exempt
Q6. Consider the following categories of Indian exports to the United States:
1. Generic pharmaceuticals
2. Textiles and garments
3. Smartphones
4. Steel and aluminium products
Which of the above is/are correctly identified as remaining outside the purview of the additional 10 per cent Section 301 duty on Indian goods in 2026?
- Generic pharmaceuticals
- Textiles and garments
- Smartphones
- Steel and aluminium products
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 2 and 4 only
- C. 1 and 2 only
- D. 1, 3 and 4
Q7. Section 231 of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), 2017, provides for punitive measures in respect of which one of the following?
- A. Purchase of crude oil and natural gas from Russia by a foreign country in excess of a notified annual volume threshold
- B. Grant of port access and insurance cover to tankers of the Russian shadow fleet in breach of an oil price cap
- C. Extension of sovereign loans by a foreign country to Russian state-owned banks for civilian infrastructure projects
- D. Engagement in significant transactions with the defence and intelligence sectors of the Russian Federation by any country
Q8. India's contract concluded with Russia in October 2018, which brought its exposure under CAATSA Section 231 into sharp focus, was for the supply of how many units of the S-400 system?
- A. Three
- B. Five
- C. Seven
- D. Ten
Q9. Reports on India's record Russian crude purchases in 2026 refer to a 'discount of $2-5 a barrel'. This expression denotes which one of the following?
- A. The concession in the price per barrel at which Russian grades are offered to Indian refiners relative to competing benchmark grades
- B. The reduction in freight and insurance charges per barrel allowed to Indian refiners for cargoes lifted on Russian-flagged vessels
- C. The rebate per barrel available to Indian refiners on settling Russian cargoes in rupees or roubles instead of in US dollars
- D. The relief per barrel granted by the Indian Government in customs duty on crude sourced from countries under Western sanctions
Q10. Consider the following statements regarding India's crude oil imports in mid-2026:
1. Russian crude accounted for more than half of India's overall crude imports in June 2026, as against about 36.5 per cent in the preceding month.
2. India's total crude imports in June 2026, at about 4.93 million barrels per day, were the highest ever recorded for that month.
3. Since supplies from West Asian producers became constrained, Russia has been the sole source of India's crude oil imports.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Russian crude accounted for more than half of India's overall crude imports in June 2026, as against about 36.5 per cent in the preceding month.
- India's total crude imports in June 2026, at about 4.93 million barrels per day, were the highest ever recorded for that month.
- Since supplies from West Asian producers became constrained, Russia has been the sole source of India's crude oil imports.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q11. India's articulation that it remains 'wedded to strategic autonomy' and that its crude sourcing is guided by the imperative of securing affordable energy for 1.4 billion people has been made on the Government's behalf by the holder of which one of the following offices?
- A. The Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, who is the nodal authority for crude import contracts of public sector refiners
- B. The Minister of Commerce and Industry, who leads India's negotiations on tariff and market access questions with the United States
- C. The Minister of External Affairs, who has set out India's position on energy sourcing and on its autonomy in foreign policy decisions
- D. The Minister of Finance, who is responsible for the duty structure applicable to imported crude oil and petroleum products
Q12. Consider the following statements regarding the legal authorities under which the United States imposed additional tariffs in 2026:
1. Tariffs imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 need no investigation by the US Trade Representative and, once notified, are immune from challenge before US courts.
2. The US Supreme Court held that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act did not authorise the President to impose broad reciprocal import tariffs without Congressional approval.
3. The temporary 10 per cent surcharge introduced in place of the struck-down reciprocal tariffs was levied under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, a provision never invoked before.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Tariffs imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 need no investigation by the US Trade Representative and, once notified, are immune from challenge before US courts.
- The US Supreme Court held that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act did not authorise the President to impose broad reciprocal import tariffs without Congressional approval.
- The temporary 10 per cent surcharge introduced in place of the struck-down reciprocal tariffs was levied under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, a provision never invoked before.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3