US grants 30-day oil waiver to India; triggers BJP-Congress clash
A political slugfest erupted after the US announced that it is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil here, as the BJP on Friday termed the development a success of the “strategic oil diplomacy” under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and said it’s a “big egg on the face of anti-India Rahul Gandhi and the Congress”. The BJP also accused the Congress and Gandhi of creating panic by spreading “fake news on oil shortage”. “Rahul Gandhi and Congress hate seeing India act with strategic restraint and strategic clarity under Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said in a post on X.
Earlier, the Congress alleged on Friday that India’s strategic autonomy and national sovereignty are under “dire threat” because Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being “blackmailed” by America. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said India’s current foreign policy is the result of the “exploitation of a compromised individual”. His attack on Modi came after the US announced the temporary waiver for the purchase of Russian oil.
Taking his criticism to X while retweeting a video shared by the Congress of his speech in the Lok Sabha on concerns related to India’s trade sovereignty, Rahul wrote: “India’s foreign policy emerges from the collective will of our people. It should be rooted in our history, our geography, and our spiritual ethos based on Satya and Ahimsa. What we are witnessing today is not policy. It is the result of the exploitation of a compromised individual.
Amid the escalating conflict with Iran, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday, “President Donald Trump’s energy agenda has resulted in oil and gas production reaching the highest levels ever recorded. To enable oil to keep flowing into the global market, the Treasury Department is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil.”
“India is an essential partner of the United States, and we fully anticipate that New Delhi will ramp up purchases of US oil. This stop-gap measure will alleviate the pressure caused by Iran’s attempt to take global energy hostage,” Bessent said in a post on X. This “deliberately short-term measure” will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian Government, as it only authorises transactions involving oil already stranded at sea, Bessent said.
Reacting to the development, Bhandari said, “A big egg on the face of anti-India Rahul Gandhi and Congress, which wanted to create panic by spreading fake news on ‘oil shortage’!” “Yet again India’s strategic oil diplomacy under PM Narendra Modi succeeds!” the BJP spokesperson added.
In the video shared by the Congress, Rahul can be heard blaming Prime Minister Modi and calling him “compromised.” He said, “The US will tell us who we can or cannot buy oil from - if it’s Russia or Iran, the US will decide. But our Prime Minister will not decide.”
Earlier in the day, Congress targeted the Centre after the United States announced that it would allow India to continue purchasing Russian oil, questioning how long this “American blackmail” would continue.
The Congress and its president, Mallikarjun Kharge, echoed the sentiment in separate social media posts, hitting out at the Government on its foreign policy and for “continuously ceding diplomatic space”. Kharge alleged in his post that India’s strategic autonomy and national sovereignty are under dire threat “because PM Modi is getting blackmailed on Epstein Files and Adani Case”.
“The US proclamation to ‘allow’ and grant us ‘permission’ to buy Russian oil, as a ‘waiver for 30-days’, clearly demonstrates the Modi Government is continuously ceding diplomatic space. This is the kind of language which is used for sanctioned States, and not India, which has been a responsible and equal partner in the global order,” the Congress chief said in his lengthy post.
“Now, the US grants India a “temporary 30-day waiver” and “allows” Indian refineries to buy Russian oil. From trade to oil, from data to India’s long-term relationships with friendly countries, Modi ji surrendered it all. India has a proud record of chartering its own destiny and one that has remained unblemished until now,” he said.
“From Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi to even Atal Bihari Vajpayee - No Prime Minister has buckled under pressure of any country and made India a virtual vassal State, except Modi ji,” he added.
“‘Main Desh Nahi Jhukne Doonga’ was a mere slogan-cry to win elections. 140 crore Indians stand betrayed. Modi ji surrendered it all,” Kharge alleged.
