'Quite A Fall', 'PM Modi Should Immediately Resign!': Opposition Slams Govt Silence Over US 'Permission To Buy Russian Oil'

India's self-promotion as a rising power in the Indian Ocean Region globally is facing a litmus test as the United States is visibly playing a dominant role, perhaps not giving enough respect to the stature New Delhi believes it has. Days after the sinking of the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena off the coast of Sri Lanka by a US submarine on March 4, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent tweeted on Friday that his department "is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil."

Washington’s terms for energy security

"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. This deliberately short-term measure will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government as it only authorizes 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 U.S. oil. This stop-gap measure will alleviate pressure caused by Iran’s attempt to take global energy hostage," Bessent said on X.

Perceptions of neo-imperial condescension

The very condescending nature of the tweet raised eyebrows as it undermined India's authority to take care of its own energy needs by itself and gave the impression that it needs the go-ahead from Washington to do the same. Shiv Sena UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi captured this sentiment, noting: "We live in times where our government gives us Instagram reels on strategic autonomy but the cold hard reality is that it has surrendered India’s interests under the garb of a trade deal where we now need permission to buy Russian oil from America. Just read the tone and tenor of the US Treasury Secretary X post & one would realise that in their heads they have started to look at India as one of their colonies not an equal partner. Quite a fall."

Domestic backlash and questions of governance

Reacting to the development, Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala strongly criticised the BJP-led government, questioning if there was a government in Delhi at all as the US increasingly interferes in India's matters. "India’s independence and sovereignty is compromised every day by the BJP Government. Why does India need “U.S permission” to protect its energy interests to buy Oil from Russia, more so in view of escalating Oil Prices and Strait of Hormuz shut down?" he asked, while senior colleague Jairam Ramesh echoed the sentiment by asking, "How long will this American blackmail go on?"

This perceived surrender of autonomy was further slammed by Congress leader Udit Raj, who observed that "Donald Trump has given an order, not a suggestion; he has become our fate-maker and is deciding our foreign policy now." Surjewala added a list of grievances: "US will announce Ceasefire during Operation Sindoor. U.S will direct India to not buy Iranian Oil. U.S will direct India not to buy Russian Oil and impose sanctions till Modi Govt buckled and said it will not buy Russian Oil. U.S will now give permission to Modi Govt to buy Russian Oil for a window of 30 days? U.S will first announce the ‘framework trade agreement’ with India. IS THERE A GOVT IN DELHI?"

The 'banana republic' critique

Former Union Minister Manish Tewari also pointed out the nature of the language used, asking, "Are we a banana republic that we need the permission of the US to secure our energy security imperatives?"

This concern for India's historic stance was amplified by Sachin Pilot, who said: "India has had a proud and an unflinching record of always charting its own path and policies, irrespective of which party is in government. It is completely unacceptable that the US is dictating arbitrary terms while the our government remains shockingly silent. India’s energy security and independent decision making is sacrosanct. All strategic decisions are made in New Delhi, based on our own requirements, priorities and national interest — not by anyone else’s “permissions” or “stop-gap arrangements”."

The political heat reached a boiling point with Sanjay Raut calling for the prime minister's resignation, declaring: "Prime Minister Modi, who enslaved the country of India, should immediately resign! The nation of Hindustan will not tolerate the insult to the country!"

A hollow diplomatic stature?

With Bessent's tweet coming just days after the Indian dilly-dallying in offering a formal message of condolence on the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and India's silence on the sinking of the Iranian warship in New Delhi's backyard—which had incidentally come to the region to participate in MILAN 2026 on the Indian Navy's invitation—India's famed diplomacy and posturing as an important global power rings hollow.