RSS-affiliated SJM asks Centre to stand firm against US attempts to dictate India’s oil purchases
SJM national co-convenor Ashwani Mahajan says India’s Russian crude purchases are driven by price, availability, supply diversification and consumer interests
The RSS-affiliated Swadeshi Jagaran Manch on Wednesday urged the government to stand firm against any US attempt to use tariffs to dictate India’s oil purchases.
The body reacted to a legislation passed by the US Senate that, according to SJM, would empower the American President to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries making significant purchases of Russian oil. It said the move amounted to an attempt to dictate India’s energy choices.
“No country has the right to dictate India’s energy security and sovereign trade policy,” SJM national co-convenor Ashwani Mahajan said, adding that India’s Russian crude purchases were driven by price, availability, supply diversification and consumer interests.
SJM said the proposed measure assumed greater significance with India, and the US engaged in negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement, arguing that talks “cannot be conducted on gun point.”
It also urged the Centre to reconsider two recent policy moves which it claimed favoured US companies — changes allowing FDI e-commerce entities greater flexibility over inventory for exports and an amendment enabling merchant discount rate on certain UPI transactions.
Going further, SJM called for a ban on US tech and social media companies if Washington pursued what it termed “unilateral economic coercion.” It asked citizens to begin by boycotting Pepsi, Coke and US-owned social media and e-commerce platforms, saying the campaign could be expanded if American actions continued.
The organisation also asked the government to reject any attempt to link tariffs with India’s oil purchases and not compromise on agriculture, dairy, energy security or strategic autonomy during trade negotiations.
The SJM, which has campaigned for indigenisation and opposed foreign direct investment in key sectors and strategic disinvestment, pointed out that this is not the first time there have been threats to impose unfair tariffs. It added that such threats have persisted since the beginning of Trump’s second term.
Steep tariffs on Indian goods entering the US will significantly impact exports. India is among the largest buyers of Russian oil, and the quantum of purchase has increased since the Iran-US war.
