Congress targets Centre after 30-day US waiver to buy Russian oil: 'How long will American blackmail continue?'

Jairam Ramesh

• US grants India a 30-day waiver to buy Russian oil amid tensions
• Congress criticises US waiver, calling it "American blackmail"
• Waiver to ease oil supply issues from Middle East conflict

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The Congress on Friday took a swipe at the central government after the United States’ temporary waiver allowing Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil.

In a post in rhyming in Hindi on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "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?)”

ट्रम्प का नया खेल दिल्ली दोस्त को कहा पुतिन से ले सकते हो तेल कब तक चलेगा यह अमेरिकी ब्लैकमेल pic.twitter.com/GTmITbEGPN

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) March 6, 2026

This came after the US said it is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver on Russian oil purchases amid the escalating conflict with Iran.

"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 said on Thursday.

Bessent said this "deliberately short-term measure" will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government, as it only authorises transactions involving oil already stranded at sea.

"India is an essential partner of the United States, and we fully anticipate that New Delhi will ramp up purchases of US oil. This stop-gap measure will alleviate pressure caused by Iran's attempt to take global energy hostage," he added.

The waiver comes at a time when India continues to face potential risks linked to energy supply disruptions in the Middle East amid escalating tensions in West Asia after a joint US-Israel military strike on February 28 on Iranian territory resulted in the death of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior figures.

India sources nearly 40 per cent of its oil imports from the region, with a significant portion transported through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.