The Congress came down heavily on the Narendra Modi government after the US issued a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil amid the escalating war with Iran.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, on Thursday, said the step was taken to enable the flow of oil into the global market, and that this "deliberately short-term measure" will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government, as it only authorises transactions involving oil already stranded at sea.
"India is an essential partner of the United States, and we fully anticipate that New Delhi will ramp up purchases of U.S. oil. This stop-gap measure will alleviate pressure caused by Iran's attempt to take global energy hostage," Bessent said in a post on X.
In response, Congress MP Manish Tewari asked if India required permission from the US to decide on its energy sources, and questioned the Union government about the nation’s sovereignty. “Are we a banana republic that we need the permission of the US to secure our energy security imperatives,” he asked in a post on X.
‘Issuing a 30 day waiver’- The sanctimonious language of condenscation drips with neo- imperial arrogance.
— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) March 6, 2026
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… https://t.co/GmzKEWZmvp
Another Congress MP and party general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, too, blasted the Narendra Modi government, saying “India’s independence and sovereignty is compromised ever day by the BJP Government”.
“Is there a govt in Delhi,” he posted on X.
India’s independence and sovereignty is compromised ever day by the BJP Government.
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) March 6, 2026
Why does India need “U.S permission” to protect its energy interests to buy Oil from Russia, more so in view of escalating Oil Prices and Strait of Hormuz shut down ?
👉 U.S will announce… https://t.co/7ugNuoWhqg
In a post in rhyming in Hindi on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "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 get oil from Putin; how long will this American blackmail continue?).
A statement from the Department of the Treasury, titled "Authorizing the Delivery and Sale of Crude Oil and Petroleum Products of Russian Federation Origin Loaded on Vessels as of March 5, 2026 to India," provided further details. It explained that "all transactions prohibited...that are ordinarily incident and necessary to the sale, delivery, or offloading of crude oil or petroleum products of Russian Federation origin loaded on any vessel, including vessels blocked under the above listed authorities, on or before 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time, March 5, 2026 are authorized through 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time, April 4, 2026, provided that the delivery or offloading of such crude oil or petroleum products occurs at a port" in India. Importantly, the purchaser of these specific Russian oil or petroleum products must be an entity organised under Indian laws.
also read
- Why India, rest of Asia are feeling the heat of Iran-US war more than China
- OPINION | Beyond Hormuz: India's maritime dilemma as Iran-US war sparks geopolitical storm in Indian Ocean
- Iran vs US-Israel forces: 5 Dynacom tankers manage to go through Hormuz Strait despite danger, official closure
- Who is Christopher Tilak? Why Congress allotted him its Rajya Sabha berth from Tamil Nadu
Importantly, the general license issued by the Treasury Department explicitly said that it "does not authorize any other transactions or activities prohibited by any other Executive order, including any transaction or activity involving Iran, the Government of Iran, or Iranian-origin goods or services that is prohibited by the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations".
Earlier, the US had imposed a 25 per cent tariff on India for buying oil from Russia, saying that these Russian oil imports were fuelling the ongoing war against Ukraine.
However, last month, the US and India announced they had established a framework for an interim trade agreement, following which US President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order to remove the punitive tariffs.
