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Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is unable to respond firmly to US President Donald Trump’s repeated threats due to an ongoing investigation involving industrialist Gautam Adani.
Taking to social media platform "X", the Congress MP said, "India, please understand: The reason PM Modi cannot stand up to President Trump despite his repeated threats is the ongoing U.S. investigation into Adani. One threat is to expose the financial links between Modi, AA, and Russian oil deals. Modi’s hands are tied."
The controversy stems out of a US federal indictment unsealed in New York in November 2024, which named Gautam Adani, and seven other defendants, including his nephew Sagar Adani, director at Adani Green Energy Ltd. The indictment alleges the Adani group paid approximately USD 265 million in bribes to Indian officials between 2020 and 2024 to secure favourable terms in solar energy contracts projected to generate USD 2 billion in profits over two decades.
In recent times, US President Donald Trump has criticised India for its trade and energy practices, particularly for importing Russian crude oil during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. He announced plans to impose higher tariffs on Indian goods, warning that the rates would be “substantially raised” due to India’s purchases of Russian oil and alleged profiteering from its resale.
On Truth Social, Trump wrote, “India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then, for much of the Oil purchased, selling it on the Open Market for big profits. They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA. Thank you for your attention to this matter!!!”
In response, the Indian government defended its energy policy as being guided by national interest and market dynamics. A spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, said last week, “We look at what is available in the market and the prevailing global situation. We are not aware of any specifics.”
India also accused Western nations of “double standards,” pointing out that both the US and the European Union continue their own trade engagements with Russia, including purchases of uranium, fertilisers, and chemicals. When questioned about these transactions, Trump reportedly deflected, stating, “I don’t know anything about that.”
