Rahul Gandhi Accuses PM Modi of ‘Bowing to Trump’ After US President’s Claim on Russian Oil

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being “afraid of Donald Trump,” after the US president claimed that India had assured him it would stop buying oil from Russia.

In a post on X, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said Modi had “allowed” Trump to dictate India’s foreign policy decisions.

“Frightened of Trump, Mr. Modi has allowed him to decide and announce that India will not buy Russian oil,” Gandhi wrote, adding that the prime minister “keeps sending congratulatory messages despite repeated snubs.”

Gandhi’s remarks came after Trump told reporters at the Oval Office that Modi had personally assured him India would halt Russian oil purchases.

“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 said, describing his ties with Modi as a “great relationship.”

The US president added that his next goal would be to “get China to do the same thing.”

Tariffs and tensions

India’s Russian oil imports have been in focus since August, when Trump imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods, raising total US duties on New Delhi to 50%. He said the move was a “penalty” for India’s continued oil trade with Moscow.

In response, Modi said he would “not compromise on the livelihood of India’s farmers, even if it means paying a heavy price.” He also renewed his call for self-reliance under the Make in India initiative, declaring in his Independence Day address:

“We should become self-reliant — not out of desperation, but out of pride. Economic selfishness is on the rise globally, and we must not let others hold us in their clutches.”

Congress attacks ‘shrinking chest’ claim

Joining Gandhi’s criticism, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said Modi’s “56-inch chest has shrunk and shriveled,” referencing Home Minister Amit Shah’s 2019 remark praising Modi’s toughness after cross-border strikes in Pakistan.

Ramesh further claimed that “at 5:37 PM IST on May 10, 2025, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was the first to announce that India had halted Operation Sindoor,” and noted that Trump has publicly claimed credit “51 times in five countries” for stopping the Indian military operation.

“With Trump’s latest statement, it’s clear the prime minister has outsourced key national decisions to America,” Ramesh wrote on X.