Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 6 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday lambasted the Narendra Modi government over US' 30-day waiver permitting India to purchase oil from Russia and the sinking of unarmed IRIS Dena that claimed the lives of nearly 87 sailors, saying that the central government looks "totally compromised" on the country's strategic autonomy and an independent foreign policy.
"When the United States decides to allow India to purchase Russian oil for just 30 days, it raises a fundamental question. Why should India need another country's approval to secure its own energy needs?" Stalin questioned in a post on X.
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister said India can't appear passive over the US's attack on the unarmed Iranian warship that had come to Visakhapatnam to participate in the International Fleet Review 2026 naval exercise.
"Equally troubling is the sinking of the unarmed Iranian warship IRIS Dena by the United States soon after it participated in the International Fleet Review 2026 naval exercise hosted by India in Visakhapatnam. When a ship that came to India as part of a multinational exercise meets such a fate, India cannot appear silent or passive," Stalin said.
"The Union BJP Government looks totally compromised on India's long-standing tradition of strategic autonomy and an independent foreign policy. India's dignity in the international arena needs to be protected, and the nation's sovereignty and interests need to be defended," he added.
His remarks come after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Thursday (local time) announced the 30-day waiver allowing India to purchase Russian oil to enable oil flow into the global market. Bessent announced a short-term measure to counter Iran during the conflict in West Asia, which has severely affected the Gulf countries supplying crude oil.
Calling out the US for its "neo-imperial arrogance", Congress MP Manish Tewari posted on X, "Issuing a 30-day waiver'- The sanctimonious language of condensation drips with neo-imperial arrogance. Are we a banana republic that we need the permission of the US to secure our energy security imperatives?"
Questioning New Delhi's "silence" on the US' statement, he added, "The silence of an otherwise overly loquacious government is deafening. Does it not understand what sovereignty means?"
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh labelled the move as "American blackmail" and criticised the central government. Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led (BJP) government in the centre has compromised India's sovereignty.
The 30-day temporary waiver by the US Treasury Department comes at a time when India continues to face potential risks linked to energy supply disruptions in the Middle East region amid escalating tensions after the February 28 US-Israel military strike on Iran, which resulted in the death of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior figures.
India sources nearly 40 per cent of its oil imports from the region, with a significant portion transported through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Moreover, the US is shifting its trade policy with India, prioritising American interests under the "America First" framework.
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau at the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi stated that the US won't grant India the same concessions it gave China 20 years ago, aiming to prevent India from becoming a rival.
He emphasised that any trade deal must be fair to both countries, protecting American interests while recognising India's needs. Landau clarified that "America First" doesn't mean isolationism, but rather cooperation with partners like India. The deal could unlock significant economic potential for both countries.