Congress Targets Modi Government Over U.S. Remarks on Russian Oil Purchase

The Congress on Saturday intensified its criticism of the Central government after remarks by senior U.S. officials suggested that India had been 'allowed' to purchase Russian oil under a temporary waiver.

The opposition party accused the government led by Narendra Modi of being “cowardly and compromised” and questioned the government’s stance on India’s energy decisions.

Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, took a swipe at the government following comments made by Scott Bessent, the U.S. Treasury Secretary. In a post on X, Ramesh said the Modi government had received a “certificate” from the U.S. administration for following the directions of American leadership.

Ramesh also mocked the Prime Minister’s image of strong leadership, saying the self-proclaimed “56-inch chest” had now become compromised.

The Congress leader shared a video clip of Bessent’s interview in which the U.S. Treasury Secretary said Washington had allowed India to purchase Russian oil that was already on ships at sea. According to Bessent, the decision was taken to address a temporary shortage of oil supply in the global market.

The controversy emerged after the United States announced a temporary 30-day waiver allowing Indian refiners to buy Russian crude that was already being transported through international waterways. The move, according to U.S. officials, is intended to ensure that global oil supply remains stable amid rising tensions in West Asia.

Bessent said the U.S. Treasury had agreed to allow its allies in India to purchase Russian oil already on the water in order to ease pressure on the global energy market.

Another senior American official, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, also said the step was meant to stabilise oil supplies in the short term. In a post on social media, Wright said the U.S. was allowing India to refine the Russian oil already on ships around South Asia and bring it quickly into the market to prevent price spikes during the ongoing regional conflict.

He explained that while long-term oil supplies remain sufficient worldwide, short-term disruptions caused by tensions around the Strait of Hormuz had created pressure on global markets. Allowing India to process the floating oil cargoes would help increase supply and reduce competition for crude among other refineries.

However, the Indian government rejected the opposition’s criticism and clarified that New Delhi does not need permission from any country to purchase energy supplies.

A senior government official said India’s oil policy is guided solely by national interest and that Russian oil had continued to reach Indian refineries even during earlier periods of sanctions. The official noted that the temporary waiver merely removed some practical obstacles but did not influence India’s policy decisions.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party also defended the government’s position, calling the waiver a success of India’s strategic energy diplomacy under Prime Minister Modi. Party leaders argued that the development exposed the opposition’s criticism as baseless and described it as an embarrassment for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his party.

The issue comes against the backdrop of a complex diplomatic situation involving sanctions on Russia and global energy concerns. Earlier, Donald Trump had imposed a 25 per cent punitive tariff on India over its continued purchase of Russian oil, arguing that such imports were helping fund Russia’s military operations against Ukraine.

Recently, however, the United States announced a temporary arrangement allowing Indian refiners to buy Russian crude already in transit. Officials said the decision was necessary to prevent disruptions in the global oil market during the ongoing tensions in West Asia.

Last month, India and the United States also announced a framework for an interim trade agreement. As part of that understanding, the U.S. administration removed the earlier 25 per cent tariffs imposed on India after New Delhi assured that it would gradually reduce direct or indirect imports of Russian energy and expand purchases from American suppliers.

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