PM frightened of Trump: Rahul on Russian oil pressure

Thu, 16 October 2025

09:57

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "frightened" of US President Donald Trump, saying that he allowed the American leader to "decide and announce" that India will not buy Russian oil and "keeps sending congratulatory messages despite repeated snubs".

His assertion came after Trump claimed that his "friend" PM Modi has assured him that India would stop purchasing oil from Russia, a move he described as a big step toward increasing pressure on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.

"PM Modi is frightened of Trump. Allows Trump to decide and announce that India will not buy Russian oil. Keeps sending congratulatory messages despite repeated snubs. Cancelled the Finance Minister's visit to America. Skipped Sharm el-Sheikh. Doesn't contradict him on Operation Sindoor," Gandhi said on X.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh also lashed out at the government over the issue. "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," Ramesh said on X.

"Now President Trump has declared yesterday that Mr. Modi has assured him that India will not import oil from Russia. Mr. Modi appears to have outsourced key decisions to America. The 56-inch chest has shrunk and shrivelled," he said. -- PTI

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