PM Modi is 'frightened' of US President Trump: Rahul Gandhi

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.

Speaking to reporters at his Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump said the US was not happy that India was buying Russian crude, arguing such purchases helped finance President Vladimir Putin's war.

"He (Modi) is a friend of mine, we have a great relationship... we were not happy with him buying oil from Russia because that let Russia continue on with this ridiculous war where they've lost a million and a half people," Trump said in response to a question.

"I was not happy that India was buying oil, and (Modi) assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That's a big step. Now we've got to get China to do the same thing,"  he said.

India is the second-largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels behind China, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).

Traditionally reliant on Middle Eastern oil, India, the world's third-largest oil importer, significantly increased its imports from Russia following the February 2022 Ukraine invasion.

Western sanctions and reduced European demand made Russian oil available at steep discounts. As a result, India's Russian crude imports surged from under 1 per cent to nearly 40 per cent of its total crude oil imports in a short span.

New Delhi has been maintaining that its oil imports are driven by national energy security and affordability concerns and that its position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict remains independent and balanced.