Shashi Tharoor rebukes Donald Trump for announcing India’s oil policy decisions

Speaking to ANI, Tharoor said it was inappropriate for the US President to speak about India’s policy decisions.

“I don’t really think it’s appropriate for Trump to be making announcements about India’s decisions. India will make announcements about its own decisions. We don’t tell the world what Trump will do; I think Trump should not be telling the world what India will do,” he remarked.

Trump, while hosting NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House on Wednesday, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him that India would phase out Russian oil imports “gradually” and bring them “down to almost nothing” by year-end.

"India, as you know, told me that they would stop. It is a process; you can't just stop it. But by the end of the year, they will be down to almost nothing. That's a big thing, that is almost 40 per cent of the oil. India has been great. Spoke to Prime Minister Modi yesterday and they have been absolutely great," Trump said.

However, Indian officials have denied any such commitment, reiterating that the country’s energy policy is driven by national interest, with a focus on ensuring stable prices and secure supplies.

The exchange comes amid rising trade tensions following Trump’s decision to impose 50 percent tariffs on Indian goods and calls for India to diversify its energy sources.