Congress MP Rahul Gandhi sharply criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming he appeared "frightened" of US President Donald Trump following Trump's statement that PM Modi had "assured him that India would stop buying oil from Russia."
Speaking at the White House, Trump revealed he had directly raised concerns with PM Modi about India's imports of Russian crude oil, which the US asserts are funding President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine. Trump stated, “He (PM Narendra Modi) assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That's a big step,” adding that China should follow India's lead.
He also described PM Modi as “a friend of mine” and a close partner despite tensions over energy policy, noting, “We have a great relationship,” when asked if he viewed India as a reliable ally amid US-China tensions.
However, New Delhi has not officially confirmed Trump's claim that India will halt Russian oil imports. Trump framed securing Modi's assurance as a key element of his diplomatic strategy to deprive Moscow of energy revenue, saying, “Now we've got to get China to do the same thing,” and describing pressuring Beijing as “relatively easy compared to what we just did over the last week in the Middle East.”
The US President acknowledged that India's shift away from Russian oil would require time but asserted that the transition was already underway. He said, “He's not buying his oil from Russia. He can't do it immediately. It's a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over soon,” adding that normal trade ties could resume once India stops the imports.
Rahul Gandhi accused Modi of repeatedly allowing Trump to dictate terms to India, citing several instances: sending congratulatory messages on the Gaza deal between Hamas and Israel despite US snubs, cancelling the finance minister's visit to the US, and failing to contradict Trump on Operation Sindoor.
Gandhi's remarks reignited his earlier criticism that PM Modi did not refute Trump's repeated claims of brokering the India-Pakistan ceasefire in May. The Indian government has consistently maintained that the ceasefire was achieved through direct contact between Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) and India's DGMO, without third-party mediation.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh amplified the criticism, pointing out that at 5:37 pm on May 10, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was the first to announce that India had halted Operation Sindoor. Ramesh noted that Trump subsequently claimed 51 times across five different countries that he had intervened to stop the operation using tariffs and trade as leverage, yet PM Modi remained silent. He stated, “Now President Trump declared yesterday that Modi has assured him that India will not import oil from Russia.
Mr. Modi appears to have outsourced key decisions to America. The 56-inch chest has shrunk and shrivelled.”India has steadfastly defended its Russian oil purchases as essential for energy security and economic stability. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar asserted, “We make decisions that are in national interest,” and dismissed US criticism as unfair.
The issue of India's Russian oil imports has been particularly contentious between New Delhi and Washington, especially since August 2025, when Trump announced an additional 25 percent import duty on Indian goods, raising the total import duty to 50 percent.
Also Read: PM Modi assured 'India won't buy oil from Russia': Trump
Follow us
