The political dispute between the opposition Congress Party and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party continues after the United States said it had “allowed” India to buy Russian oil already at sea in a move aimed at allaying concerns about supplies around the world amid the conflict in the Middle East.
While the Congress called it an “insult” that India would need such permission at all, the BJP on Saturday claimed that the US has reached out to India for “assistance” to ease pressure on global refiners and stabilize oil prices. The ruling party cited a statement by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright to make its point.
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Bharatiya Janata Party on the Russian oil crisis
In a post on X, the BJP’s official handle shared a video of Wright saying during an interview that the US has “reached out to friends in India” and asked New Delhi to “buy this oil and bring it to your refineries”.
Speaking to ABC News, the US Secretary of Energy said that the move does not represent a shift in policy towards Russia but is merely a temporary step. He said in the interview: “We contacted our friends in India and told them: Buy this oil and bring it to your refineries.”
The BJP used the video to reject the opposition’s accusations that the United States had given “permission” to India to buy Russian oil.
“By stemming the opposition’s propaganda and its flow, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright has put on record that the US has extended its hand to India to help ease global pressure on refiners and stabilize oil prices. It is a clear acknowledgment of India’s increasing role in global energy stability,” the BJP said.
Read also | ‘Buy this oil, bring it to your refineries’: Trump’s energy secretary on why US granted 30-day Russian oil waiver to India
Congress reacts and criticizes the government
Reacting to the BJP’s post on X, Congress National Secretary Ruchira Chaturvedi shared a video of US Treasury Secretary Scott Besent saying during an interview that the US has given India “permission” to buy Russian oil.
“The world is well supplied with oil. Yesterday, Treasury (Department) agreed to allow our allies in India to start buying Russian oil that is already in the water,” Minister Besent said in an interview with Fox Business on Friday.
“The Indians were very good actors. We asked them to stop buying sanctioned Russian oil this fall. They did that. They were going to replace it with American oil. But to ease the temporary gap in oil around the world, we gave them permission to accept Russian oil,” he said.
Chaturvedi criticized the BJP-led Center for saying India “needs US permission” and accused the party of “defending the US attack on our sovereignty”.
“Why does India need US permission? Instead of asking this from the US, you are defending the US attack on our sovereignty!” Tom Kitney Min Ho bike (How much did you buy?)” she wrote on X.
30-day exemption for India to purchase Russian oil
On Thursday, as tensions rose during the conflict with Iran, the United States said it had granted a temporary 30-day waiver allowing Indian refineries to buy Russian oil.
“President Trump’s energy agenda has led to oil and gas production reaching the highest levels ever recorded. To enable oil to continue flowing to the global market, the Treasury Department issued a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil,” Besant said.
He said the “deliberate short-term measure” would not give the Russian government significant financial gains, because it only allows transactions related to oil already stuck at sea.
Russian oil issue
India is facing pressure from the Trump administration to reduce its purchases of Russian oil. US President Donald Trump had signed an executive order imposing 25% customs duties on Indian imports if the country buys Russian oil directly or indirectly.
However, Trump later announced a trade deal with India after speaking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Under the agreement, customs duties will be reduced to 18% from 50% in exchange for New Delhi halting purchases of Russian oil and lowering trade barriers.
It is worth noting that India now faces a lower reciprocal tariff of 10% after Trump announced a new global tax on goods imported into the US following the US Supreme Court ruling against the blanket tariffs he imposed on several countries.
With input from agencies
