'Are we a banana republic?’: Congress slams Modi govt as US grants ‘permission’ for Russian oil
Members of the Indian National Congress on Friday launched a scathing critique of the central government, characterising a temporary U.S. sanctions waiver on Russian oil as an assault on India's national sovereignty and an act of "American blackmail."
The backlash follows an announcement by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent granting Indian refiners a 30-day window to purchase Russian crude currently stranded at sea. The move is intended to stabilise global markets after Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the transit point for 40% of India's oil imports, sent energy prices soaring following the Feb. 28 U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran.
Allegations of "Neo-Imperial Arrogance"
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh condemned the development on X, formerly Twitter, suggesting that the Biden-era diplomacy has been replaced by coercive tactics.
"Trump's new game Told the Delhi friend You can get oil from Putin, How long will this continue? This American blackmail," Ramesh wrote.
MP Manish Tewari questioned the administration’s silence regarding the tone of the U.S. mandate, which he described as possessing "neo-imperial arrogance."
"'Issuing a 30-day waiver'—The sanctimonious language of condensation drips with neo-imperial arrogance," Tewari posted. "Are we a banana republic that we need the permission of the US to secure our energy security imperatives? The silence of an otherwise overly loquacious government is deafening. Does it not understand what sovereignty means?"
Randeep Singh Surjewala, another prominent Congress MP, alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has allowed India’s independence to be compromised. He cited a string of recent U.S. interventions, including the announcement of a ceasefire during "Operation Sindoor" and directives regarding Iranian and Russian trade.
"The US will now give permission to the Modi govt to buy Russian Oil for a window of 30 days?" Surjewala asked. "Is there a govt in Delhi?"
The U.S. Position
The controversy stems from Secretary Bessent’s justification for the waiver, which he framed as a "stop-gap measure" to counter Iran's "attempt to take global energy hostage."
"President Trump's energy agenda has resulted in oil and gas production reaching the highest levels ever recorded," Bessent said. "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."
Bessent emphasised that the measure is "deliberately short-term" and will not significantly enrich the Kremlin, as it only applies to oil already at sea. He added that the U.S. "fully anticipate[s] that New Delhi will ramp up purchases of U.S. oil" in the near future.
The Indian government has yet to issue a formal rebuttal to the Congress party's allegations of diminished sovereignty.
With inputs from ANI