Using political statements and satire, the Congress launched a sharp political attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi after US President Donald Trump again claimed that India was reducing oil imports from Russia. Trump stated that Modi had assured him of cutting back on Russian crude purchases — a claim the Indian government has not officially confirmed.
The opposition party accused the Modi government of lacking transparency in foreign policy matters, with party leader Jairam Ramesh saying, “While Mr. Modi conceals, Mr. Trump reveals.” He criticized the Prime Minister for only publicly acknowledging Trump’s Diwali greetings, without mentioning the discussion on oil imports.
Trump praised the Indo-US relationship and mentioned his phone call with Modi, claiming India “is not going to buy much oil from Russia” and that both leaders desire an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He added that India had already reduced its imports significantly and continues to scale back.
Congress noted that this is not the first time Trump has spoken publicly about India’s decisions before the Indian government did — citing Operation Sindoor as an example, where Trump allegedly announced India’s ceasefire plans with Pakistan before Modi did.
On social media, the Congress escalated its criticism by sharing an AI-generated satirical video portraying Trump dictating orders to Modi in Hindi, with Modi responding submissively. The video mocks the Prime Minister’s claim of being a strong leader, suggesting instead that he follows Trump’s lead unquestioningly.
Congress also accused Modi of outsourcing critical foreign policy decisions to Trump, alleging that the PM becomes silent whenever Trump publicly reveals discussions supposedly held in private. The party went further to claim that India’s foreign policy has “collapsed” under Modi, urging the government to take opposition leaders into confidence through formal consultations.
According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, India’s oil trade is guided by market needs and consumer interest in a volatile energy market. MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said he was unaware of any conversation in which Modi promised to halt oil imports from Russia.
The US, under Trump, had increased tariffs on Indian goods — including penalties linked to India’s oil trade with Moscow — causing strain in bilateral relations. India called these actions “unfair and unreasonable.”
Amid rising political heat, the Congress continues to challenge the government’s credibility, arguing that Modi’s silence only strengthens perceptions of a one-sided relationship where key national decisions are influenced by external powers.
