new delhi, Oct 23
After a report by an international news agency claimed that Indian oil refiners are planning to sharply bring down imports of Russian oil following the United States’s move to impose fresh sanctions on two top Russian producers, the Opposition has hit out at the Narendra Modi government, accusing it of surrendering before the US President.
The Congress posted on X Thursday evening that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started to comply with the “order” of US President Donald Trump to stop buying oil from Russia, over which he had imposed additional 25 per cent punitive tariffs on India over and above the 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs.
The Congress, referring to reports in the media, claimed that Reliance will curtail its Russian oil purchases. It added that by surrendering before Trump, Modi – a weak prime minister – will spoil relations with Russia, India’s time-tested ally. PM Modi’s ‘hug-and-embrace’ foreign policy has caused great damage to the country, the main opposition party added.
The Aam Aadmi Party also asked on X if the US President will now decide from where India will import crude oil.
“Was what Trump said true, that now the American President will decide from whom India will buy oil? Is the government bowing down before America?” Delhi AAP president Saurabh Bhardwaj asked on X.
The Opposition charge came after the said report claimed that curtailed imports of Russian oil could pave way for the delayed trade deal with the US. It may be noted that Trump has been, unilaterally, claiming that Indian PM Modi has assured him of reducing Russian oil purchases. Trump has been accusing India of supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine by way of its oil imports from Moscow. India has defended its Russian oil purchase, stating it takes such decisions keeping in mind the interests of the Indian people.
The report claimed that privately-held Reliance Industries Limited, the biggest Indian buyer of Russian crude, is poised to reduce or cease Russian oil imports. The company is also expected to stop its oil purchases from Rosneft under a large long-term deal as the company has been hit by the latest US sanctions. “Recalibration of Russian oil imports is ongoing and Reliance will be fully aligned to GOI (Government of India) guidelines,” Reuters quoted a Reliance spokesman as saying. The report further claimed that state refiners including Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum are also reviewing their Russian oil deals in order to stop any direct oil imports from Rosneft and Lukoil, the other company sanctioned by the US.
