New Delhi [India], October 16 : Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he is "frightened" of Donald Trump, after the US President claimed that India had assured him of stopping the purchase of oil from Russia.
Rahul Gandhi objected to Donald Trump's claim and listed allegations against the Union Government to bolster his point.
"PM Modi is frightened of Trump," Rahul Gandhi said as he listed recent incidents, "1.(PM Modi) Allows Trump to decide and announce that India will not buy Russian oil. 2. Keeps sending congratulatory messages despite repeated snubs. 3. Cancelled the Finance Minister's visit to America. 4. Skipped Sharm el-Sheikh. 5. Doesn't contradict him on Operation Sindoor," he posted on X.
https://x.com/RahulGandhi/status/1978669002798055695
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh joined the chorus, questioning PM Modi's silence as he alleged that PM has "outsourced key decisions to America."
Noting Donald Trump's repeated claims of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, Jairam Ramesh questioned the PM's silence.
"At 5:37 PM Indian Standard Time on May 10, 2025, the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was the very first to announce that India has halted Operation Sindoor. Subsequently, President Trump has claimed 51 times in 5 different countries that he had intervened to stop Operation Sindoor by using tariffs and trade as his weapon of pressure. Yet our PM kept silent," he said.
https://x.com/Jairam_Ramesh/status/1978670682235158533
This comes after the US President on Wednesday (local time) said that PM Modi had assured him that India would stop purchasing oil from Russia, describing it as "a big step" in efforts to increase global pressure on Moscow.
Trump made the remarks during a joint news conference with FBI Director Kash Patel at the Oval Office, where the two highlighted the administration's efforts to curb violent crime.
Responding to ANI's question on whether he viewed India as a reliable partner, Trump said, "Yeah, sure. He's (PM Narendra Modi) a friend of mine. We have a great relationship...I was not happy that India was buying oil. And he assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That's a big stop. Now we've got to get China to do the same thing.
Trump also criticised India's previous oil imports from Russia, stating, "We were not happy with him buying oil from Russia, because that lets Russia continue on with this ridiculous war, where they've lost a million and a half people, by the way. Russia has lost a million and a half people, soldiers mostly."
Earlier, India had defended its oil imports from Moscow as essential for economic stability, even as Washington continued to urge New Delhi to diversify its energy sources. Donald Trump had levied additional tariffs of 25 per cent on Indian goods, claiming that India's imports of Russian oil, directly or indirectly, pose an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to the United States.
India has also maintained that the India-Pakistan ceasefire was agreed between both countries DGMO's and no other country had any part in it.