RussianOil – Congress Questions Government After US Remarks on India’s Oil Purchases
RussianOil – The Congress party on Wednesday criticised the central government following remarks by a senior White House official suggesting that the United States had temporarily allowed India to accept Russian oil shipments already in transit. The opposition said the comments raised serious questions about India’s diplomatic standing and sovereignty.
Congress Reacts Strongly to White House Statement
The reaction from the Congress party came after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Washington had briefly permitted India to receive Russian oil that was already at sea. According to her, the measure was introduced to stabilise global energy supplies during ongoing tensions linked to Iran.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh responded sharply to the statement, saying it appeared as though international authorities were publicly certifying the Indian government’s compliance. Writing on social media, he remarked that after earlier remarks by the US Treasury Secretary, the latest comments from the White House press secretary amounted to another instance of what he described as a “capitulation certificate” being issued to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Ramesh argued that the comments suggested India had been rewarded with a limited exemption after agreeing to halt purchases of Russian crude. He also shared a video clip of Leavitt’s statement while raising concerns about how the situation was being portrayed internationally.
Opposition Raises Questions on Sovereignty
The Congress party also issued a separate statement from its official account, questioning why the Indian government had not publicly objected to the wording used by the White House.
According to the party, the use of terms implying that the United States had “permitted” India to accept oil shipments was troubling. It argued that such language appeared to undermine India’s independent decision-making authority on matters of national energy policy.
The opposition further said that the government’s silence on the issue raised important questions. It accused the prime minister of avoiding a response and urged the administration to clarify why foreign officials appeared to be commenting on India’s economic decisions in such terms.
White House Explains Temporary Energy Decision
During a press briefing, Karoline Leavitt explained that the decision was taken by the administration of President Donald Trump in consultation with the national security team. She stated that India had previously stopped buying sanctioned Russian oil and had been cooperative with international measures.
According to Leavitt, the temporary step allowed India to accept shipments that were already travelling through international waters. She emphasised that the arrangement was designed to prevent disruptions in global oil supply while tensions involving Iran affected energy markets.
Leavitt also noted that the measure was short-term and that the shipments involved oil already transported from Russia. Because of this, the administration did not expect the decision to deliver major financial gains to Moscow.
US Treasury Cites Global Oil Market Stability
Earlier, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had also spoken about the issue while announcing a temporary 30-day waiver allowing Indian refiners to purchase Russian crude that had already been shipped.
Bessent said the move was intended to keep oil flowing in global markets during a period of uncertainty. He described the waiver as a deliberately limited step that applied only to cargo already stranded at sea, ensuring that the policy would not significantly benefit the Russian government.
He also noted that India remains an important strategic partner for the United States. At the same time, Washington expects New Delhi to gradually increase its purchases of American energy products in the future.
Broader Context of Trade and Energy Relations
The remarks come against the backdrop of recent developments in India-US trade relations. The Trump administration had earlier imposed a 25 percent tariff on Indian goods, citing concerns over India’s continued imports of Russian oil during the conflict in Ukraine.
However, both countries later announced progress toward a framework for an interim trade agreement. Following those discussions, the United States removed the tariff after India indicated it would reduce direct or indirect energy imports from Russia and expand purchases from the United States.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright also said recently that the temporary arrangement allowing India to process oil already at sea was intended to ease pressure on global markets. According to him, the goal was to quickly bring stored crude into refineries and stabilise supply while tensions in the Middle East continued to affect energy flows.