BJP recasts permission to buy Russian oil as US seeking India's help

A political slugfest continues between the opposition Congress and the ruling BJP after the United States said it had “allowed” India to purchase Russian oil already at sea in a move aimed at easing supply concerns around the world amid the conflict in the Middle East.

While the Congress termed this an “insult” that India would require such a permission at all, the BJP on Saturday claimed that the United States reached out to India for “help” to ease pressure on global refineries and bring stability to oil prices. The ruling party cited a statement



by US energy secretary Chris Wright to make its point.

In a post on X, the BJP’s official handle shared a video of Wright in which he said during an interview that the US “reached out to friends in India” and asked New Delhi to “buy that oil and bring it into your refineries”.

Speaking to Media, US energy secretary said the step was not a policy shift towards Russia but only a temporary move. “We reached out to our friends in India and said, ‘Buy that oil and bring it into your refineries,’” he said in the interview.