Congress seeks clarity from Centre as U.S. clears tariff law on Russian oil buyers
The Congress on Thursday demanded that the Narendra Modi government make its position clear on a new United States law that would allow steep tariffs on countries buying Russian oil, asking whether India's foreign policy and energy security would be "controlled from Washington".
The remarks by party general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal came after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 by a vote of 262 to 159. The legislation now awaits President Donald Trump's signature and would allow tariffs of up to 100% on countries that continue to purchase Russian oil and gas.
In a post on social media platform X, Mr. Venugopal asked whether the Prime Minister would stand up to the U.S. move and whether India's foreign policy and energy sovereignty would be decided in Washington. He said the government had projected the joint declaration of the recently concluded BRICS Summit as evidence of global trust in India, but was now facing what he described as "aggressive bullying from a strategic partner".
"Given the compromised PM's track record, we are likely to see the Centre toe the U.S.' line and surrender to Washington. We demand that the Modi government clarify its stance on this at the earliest, and ensure India's energy security is not sacrificed," he said.
His colleague and party general secretary Randeep Surjewala called the U.S. move "an affront to Indian sovereignty" and questioned whether the government would "speak for the nation". He cited remarks by Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal after the House vote that India and China should "buy their oil and gas somewhere else".
Mr. Surjewala alleged that the government had repeatedly compromised India's interests in its dealings with the United States, and asked why New Delhi should not be free to decide from whom it buys crude oil. "Our foreign policy and sovereignty cannot be bartered at the altar of our friendship with the United States. National interests cannot be mortgaged at the altar of event management by a weak-kneed BJP govt.," he said on X.
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said: "Appeasement has never paid and will never pay."
The Congress's criticism came as the government sought to reassure the country that it would protect its economic and energy interests. The Ministry of External Affairs said India was monitoring developments following the passage of the legislation and remained "firmly committed" to ensuring energy security for its 1.4 billion people.
The law's passage puts the spotlight on a long-running debate over India's crude oil imports. India has been among the largest buyers of Russian crude since 2022, when Western sanctions prompted Moscow to offer discounts. New Delhi has defended those purchases on the grounds of energy security and its stated policy of buying oil on commercial terms, while Western capitals have pressed for a reduction in volumes.
The Bill also covers Iran, whose oil exports are already subject to U.S. sanctions. It is not yet clear how the proposed tariffs would be applied, or when, and whether any exemptions would be offered to partners such as India. The government has not issued a formal statement on the specific provisions of the legislation.
The Congress's demand focuses attention on how the Centre will respond if the measure takes effect, and on the balance New Delhi seeks to strike between its strategic ties with Washington and its energy requirements. Parliament is expected to take up the matter when it next meets, though no date has been announced.
