Rahul slams PM Modi after Trump’s claim on India stopping Russian oil imports
After Trump said Modi assured him India would halt Russian oil purchases, Rahul accused the PM of being “frightened of Trump” and allowing the US to dictate India’s decisions
Following US President Donald Trump’s claim that India had assured him it would stop purchasing Russian oil, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Taking to X on Thursday (October 16), the Congress MP accused the Prime Minister of being afraid of Trump and the United States.
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In his post, Rahul alleged that Modi is “frightened of Trump” after allowing the US president to “decide and announce that India will not buy Russian oil.” He further said that Modi continues to “send congratulatory messages despite repeated snubs.”
Trump remark sparks row
Rahul’s remarks came after Trump claimed that Modi had given him an “assurance” that India would no longer purchase oil from Russia.
“I was not happy that India was buying oil. And he (Modi) assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That’s a big stop,” Trump told reporters at the Oval Office, adding that he shares a “great relationship” with the Indian Prime Minister. The US President further said that after India, he would “get China to do the same thing.”
India’s purchase of Russian oil has remained in the spotlight since August, after Trump imposed an additional 25 percent tariff on New Delhi as a penalty. With this increase, Trump’s tariffs on India rose to a total of 50 percent.
In response to the additional duties, Modi said he would not compromise on the livelihood of India’s farmers, even if it meant “paying a heavy price.”
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The prime minister also renewed his emphasis on the “Make in India” initiative and the goal of self-reliance. “We should become self-reliant, not out of desperation, but out of pride,” Modi declared in his Independence Day address from the Red Fort.
“Economic selfishness is on the rise globally, and we must not sit and cry about our difficulties. We must rise above them and ensure that others do not hold us in their clutches,” he added.