The Congress party recently launched a sharp critique against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, referring to him as a ‘mauni baba’ (silent monk). This jab came amidst former U.S. President Donald Trump’s reiterated claims that India would significantly cut down on its Russian oil imports, and his assertion that he had personally intervened to halt ‘Operation Sindoor’.
Jairam Ramesh, the Congress communications chief, took to social media platform X to highlight Trump’s statements. He pointed out that President Trump repeatedly claimed that his ‘good friend’ (referring to PM Modi) had assured him of India’s commitment to reduce Russian oil purchases. Ramesh questioned why, despite these significant claims, the Prime Minister remained silent.
“President Trump has yet again said that he has been assured by his good friend that India will cut back on its imports of oil from Russia. But that good friend suddenly becomes a Mauni Baba whenever President Trump says he stopped Operation Sindoor and now when he says that India will reduce its imports of oil from Russia,” Mr. Ramesh stated in his post, accompanying it with Trump’s latest remarks.
Broader Concerns: India’s Trade Deficit with China
Adding to the criticism, the Congress leader also brought attention to India’s escalating trade deficit with China. He noted that the deficit surged to $54.4 billion during April-September 2025, marking an increase from $49.6 billion recorded in the same period the previous year.
These remarks from the Congress leadership were made just hours after the U.S. president once again asserted that India would cease buying oil from Russia, further adding that the country had already ‘de-escalated’ and was ‘pulling back’. This marks the second instance of Mr. Trump making such claims regarding India’s energy procurement from Russia.
In response to Mr. Trump’s initial comments, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had previously clarified New Delhi’s consistent stance. He emphasized that India’s primary objective has always been to safeguard the interests of its consumers in a volatile global energy market. Jaiswal further stated that India’s import policies are driven purely by national interest, and the country remains open to expanding its energy partnerships, including with the U.S.