January 6, 2026
NEW DELHI – The Congress on Monday launched a strong critique of Prime Minister Narendra Modi following renewed US warnings linking higher tariffs on Indian exports to New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh accused the government of relying on a personality-driven foreign policy that has failed to deliver concrete benefits for the country.
In a post on X, Ramesh pointed out that the Prime Minister’s widely publicised personal rapport with the US President has not prevented economic pressure on India. “The PM’s good friend in the White House continues his ‘blow hot, blow cold’ approach to India,” Ramesh wrote, referring to repeated US threats on trade and energy issues. “He has once again threatened higher tariffs on US imports from India if India does not stop buying oil from Russia.”
Ramesh also criticised the optics-heavy diplomacy of recent years, saying, “All those Namaste Trump, Howdy Modi events, all those (forced) hugs, and all those social media posts praising the US President have done very little good.”
The comments come amid growing uncertainty in India-US trade relations as the US ramps up pressure on countries trading energy with Russia amid ongoing geopolitical tensions. India maintains that purchasing discounted Russian crude is a sovereign decision to secure affordable energy and that these transactions comply with existing international sanctions.
While the Modi government highlights the strengthening India-US strategic partnership—citing defence cooperation, technology collaboration, and rising bilateral trade—Congress argues that the high-profile public events have not translated into consistent policy advantages for India. Ramesh’s remarks echo broader opposition concerns that India’s foreign policy has become overly dependent on personal chemistry between leaders rather than robust institutional diplomacy, making India vulnerable to sudden shifts in US trade and tariff policies.
With the prospect of tariff hikes looming again, the issue is set to intensify political debate over how India can balance strategic autonomy, energy security, and economic interests amid escalating global power rivalries.