Rahul Gandhi calls US oil waiver ‘exploitation’ of PM

Rahul Gandhi criticizes Centre over US waiver allowing India to buy Russian oil, calling it “exploitation of a compromised individual” and raising concerns on policy.

New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday launched a sharp attack on the Narendra Modi-led government over India’s foreign policy after the United States issued a temporary waiver allowing New Delhi to continue purchasing Russian oil.

Reacting to the development, Gandhi alleged that the move reflected the “exploitation of a compromised individual” rather than a sovereign foreign policy shaped by India’s national interests.

Sharing a video of his speech in the Lok Sabha on X, Gandhi wrote that India’s foreign policy should emerge from the collective will of its people and be rooted in the country’s history, geography and 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,” he said, taking a direct dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In the video posted by the Congress, Gandhi can be heard accusing the Prime Minister of allowing Washington to dictate India’s energy decisions. “The US will tell us who we can or cannot buy oil from — whether it is Russia or Iran. The US will decide. But our Prime Minister will not decide,” he said in the Lok Sabha.

The Congress also criticised the Centre following Washington’s announcement of a temporary waiver permitting India to continue importing Russian crude. The opposition party questioned how long India would remain subject to what it described as “American blackmail”.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also attacked the move in a post on X, writing in Hindi: “Trump ka naya khel, Dilli dost ko kaha, Putin se le sakte ho tel — kab tak chalega ye Ameriki blackmail?” (Trump’s new game: told his friend in Delhi you can buy oil from Putin — how long will this American blackmail continue?).

The remarks came after the US Treasury announced a 30-day waiver allowing Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil, citing the need to maintain stability in global energy markets amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the temporary measure was intended to ensure uninterrupted oil supply to global markets. “President 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,” he said.

Bessent added that Washington expects India to increase energy imports from the United States in the future. “India is an essential partner of the United States, and we fully anticipate that New Delhi will ramp up purchases of US oil,” he said, adding that the waiver would help ease pressure caused by Iran’s attempts to disrupt global energy supplies.

The development comes amid growing concerns over energy supply disruptions in the Middle East. Tensions in the region escalated after a joint US-Israel military strike on Iran on February 28 that reportedly killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several senior Iranian officials.

India currently sources nearly 40 per cent of its crude oil imports from the Middle East, much of which passes through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

Russia has indicated it is prepared to redirect crude shipments to India to offset potential supply disruptions. According to a Reuters report, nearly 9.5 million barrels of Russian oil are already positioned near Indian waters and could arrive within weeks.

The shift in supply comes amid heightened security risks in the region following Iranian strikes on vessels, raising fears that the Strait of Hormuz — a key global energy transit route — could face partial disruption, potentially affecting a significant share of India’s crude imports.