New Delhi, Jan 5 (UNI) The Congress on Monday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi after fresh signals from the United States linking higher tariffs on Indian exports to New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil, with senior party leader Jairam Ramesh accusing the government of pursuing a personality-driven foreign policy that has yielded little tangible benefit for India.
In a post on X, Ramesh said the Prime Minister’s much-publicized personal rapport with the US President had failed to shield India from economic pressure. “The PM’s good friend in the White House continues his ‘blow hot, blow cold’ approach to India,” he wrote, referring to repeated US warnings on trade and energy ties. “He has yet again threatened higher tariffs on US imports from India if India did not stop buying oil from Russia.”
Taking aim at the optics-heavy diplomacy of recent years, Ramesh added, “All those Namaste Trump, Howdy Modi events, all those (forced) hugs, and all those social media posts hailing the US President have done very little good.”
The remarks come amid renewed uncertainty in India-US trade relations, as Washington steps up pressure on countries continuing energy trade with Russia in the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions. India has consistently defended its decision to buy discounted Russian crude, arguing that ensuring affordable energy for its citizens is a sovereign priority and that such purchases are within the framework of existing international sanctions.
The Modi government has, in the past, highlighted the growing strategic partnership between India and the US, pointing to expanded defence cooperation, technology collaboration and increasing bilateral trade. High-profile public events such as “Howdy Modi” in Houston in 2019 and “Namaste Trump” in Ahmedabad in 2020 were projected as symbols of a strong personal and political bond between the two leaders.
