Trump shouldn’t tell what India will do: Shashi Tharoor criticises US President's claims on Russian oil imports

As US President Donald Trump claimed that India will significantly reduce Russian oil imports by year-end, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday hit back by criticising him for making announcements on behalf of New Delhi.

Speaking to ANI, Tharoor asked President Trump not to announce India’s decisions to the world, as New Delhi does not speak for Washington DC.

The Congress MP said, “I don’t really think it’s appropriate for Trump to be making announcements about India’s decisions. I think India will make announcements about its decisions. We don’t tell the world what Trump will do. I think Trump should not be telling the world what India will do.”

Earlier on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump claimed that India will significantly reduce Russian oil imports by year-end, citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assurance.

President Trump also said that the process of phasing out Russian oil imports will be “gradual”, claiming that India will bring it “down to almost nothing” by the end of the year.

“India, as you know, told me that they would stop. It is a process; you can’t just stop it. But by the end of the year, they will be down to almost nothing. That’s a big thing, that is almost 40 per cent of the oil. India has been great. Spoke to Prime Minister Modi yesterday and they have been absolutely great,” President Trump said during an interaction with press persons in the White House, while hosting NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

However, India denies any agreement, emphasising its priority to safeguard consumer interests. The country’s energy policy prioritises stable prices and secure supplies.

This comes in the backdrop of Trump imposing 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, urging New Delhi to diversify energy sources.