‘Are we a Banana Republic…?’ Congress to Govt Over US Waiver on Buying Russian Oil
Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Manish Tewari criticise the Centre after the US issued a 30-day waiver allowing Indian refineries to purchase Russian oil, calling it 'American blackmail and questioning India’s sovereignty
March 6, 2026 – The Congress Party today (March 6) slammed the Centre over news of the US temporarily permitting India to buy Russian oil, asking how long will this US “blackmail” continue.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh and leader Manish Tewari have come down heavily on the government with the former writing on X, “"Trump ka naya khel, Dilli dost ko kaha, Putin se le sakte ho tel, kab tak chalega ye Ameriki blackmail (Trump's new game; told his friend in Delhi you can get oil from Putin; how long will this American blackmail continue?)”
Congress Party’s Tewari asked the government whether it understands what sovereignty means, writing, “Issuing a 30-day waiver – the sanctimonious language of condescension drips with neo-imperial arrogance. Are we a banana republic that we need the permission of the US to secure our energy security imperatives?”
He added, “The silence of an otherwise overly loquacious government is deafening."
These comments came after the US issued a 30-day waiver to Indian refineries to buy Russian oil.
"President Trump's energy agenda has resulted in oil and gas production reaching the highest levels ever recorded. To enable oil to keep flowing into the global market, the Treasury Department is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had said on Thursday (March 5).
With Media Inputs
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