https://sputniknews.in/20250722/unacceptable-overreach-bjp-leader-slams-us-senator-for-anti-india-rhetoric-9478400.html
'Unacceptable Overreach': BJP Leader Slams US Senator for Anti-India Rhetoric
'Unacceptable Overreach': BJP Leader Slams US Senator for Anti-India Rhetoric
Sputnik India
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham's repeated threats against China, India and Brazil over their purchases of Russian energy is attracting stern criticism in India.
2025-07-22T11:10+0530
2025-07-22T11:10+0530
2025-07-22T11:10+0530
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Republican Senator Lindsey Graham's repeated threats against India (as well as Brazil and China) over their purchases of Russian energy is attracting stern criticism in India.Taking his criticism of these countries to a whole new level, the GOP Senator told Fox News at weekend that the US would "tariff the hell out of you and we're going to crush your economy because what you're doing is blood money".Savio Rodrigues, a politician from India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), described Graham's remarks as offensive and reflecting a "Cold War mindset" which doesn't fit the realities of a multipolar world order.Echoing the official Indian line on the purchases of Russian oil, Rodrigues highlighted that India has always priortised its own energy security over politics.He stated that India's foreign policy has always been "principled and independent", grounded in national interest. Over 40% of India's crude imports in June were sourced from Russia, which has remained India's biggest energy supplier since 2023Further, the BJP leader cautioned that such rhetorical aggression from US lawmakers is viewed negatively in India, a critical partner in Indo-Pacific.Graham and Democrat lawmaker Richard Blumenthal have co-sponsored a bill, “Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025", which seeks to impose a tariffs on India, China and Brazil for buying Russian oil. External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar said this month that the Indian Embassy in Washington was in touch with Graham over the bill, noting that New Delhi's energy security interests have been flagged to the US lawmaker.Graham isn't the only western politician to publicly criticise India for its trade ties to Russia. Last week, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said after a meeting with US President Donald Trump that continued business ties with Russia could “slam back” on India, China and Brazil in a “massive way". Rutte said that the BRICS partners could face "secondary sanctions" for buying Russian oil.In response, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesman Randhir Jaiswal told a media briefing in New Delhi that "the energy needs of our people is understandably an overriding priority for us". Jaiswal also cautioned the NATO chief against any "double standards" on the issue of energy imports.On Friday, the MEA Spokesperson criticised the European Union (EU) after the latest round of Brussel's anti-Russia sanctions designated an oil refinery in Vadinar, Gujarat, which is owned by Nayara Energy. Russia's Rosneft owns a 49.5% stake in Nayara Energy.* designated as a terrorist and extremist in Russia.
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'Unacceptable Overreach': BJP Leader Slams US Senator for Anti-India Rhetoric
President Trump is expected to introduce 100% tariffs against "all countries" that continue to purchase Russian oil, including China, India, and Brazil, which together account for about 80% of Russia's energy exports, GOP Senator Lindsey Graham* has told Fox News.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham's repeated threats against India (as well as Brazil and China) over their purchases of Russian energy is attracting stern criticism in India.
Taking his
criticism of these countries to a whole new level, the GOP Senator told Fox News at weekend that the US would "tariff the hell out of you and we're going to crush your economy because what you're doing is blood money".
Savio Rodrigues, a politician from India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), described Graham's remarks as offensive and reflecting a "Cold War mindset" which doesn't fit the realities of a multipolar world order.
"To threaten India—one of the world’s largest democracies and fastest-growing economies—with economic warfare for prioritizing its energy security is an unacceptable overreach," the Indian politician told Sputnik India.
Echoing the official Indian line on the purchases of Russian oil, Rodrigues highlighted that India has always priortised its own energy security over politics.
"Our purchase of Russian oil is not “blood money”; it is a decision made to protect our people from inflated energy prices during global instability, much of which was triggered by Western policy misadventures," asserted Rodrigues.
He stated that India's foreign policy has always been "principled and independent", grounded in national interest.
Further, Rodrigues called out the US and other western allies for hypocrisy for doing business with brutal regimes when it suited their interests. "Hypocrisy wrapped in moral posturing does not impress India," he commented.
Over 40% of India's crude imports in June were sourced from Russia, which has remained India's biggest energy supplier since 2023
Further, the BJP leader cautioned that such rhetorical aggression from US lawmakers is viewed negatively in India, a critical partner in Indo-Pacific.
"If America wants reliable partners in Asia, it must learn to engage with respect, not intimidation. Sovereign nations don’t bow to threats—they respond with dignity," he said.
Graham and Democrat lawmaker Richard Blumenthal have co-sponsored a bill, “Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025", which seeks to impose a tariffs on India, China and Brazil for buying Russian oil.
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar said this month that the Indian Embassy in Washington was in touch with Graham over the bill, noting that New Delhi's energy security interests have been flagged to the US lawmaker.
Graham isn't the only western politician to publicly criticise India for its trade ties to Russia. Last week, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said after a meeting with US President Donald Trump that continued business ties with Russia could “slam back” on India, China and Brazil in a “massive way". Rutte said that the BRICS partners could face "secondary sanctions" for buying Russian oil.
In response, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesman Randhir Jaiswal
told a media briefing in New Delhi that "the energy needs of our people is understandably an overriding priority for us". Jaiswal also cautioned the NATO chief against any "double standards" on the issue of energy imports.
On Friday, the MEA Spokesperson
criticised the European Union (EU) after the latest round of Brussel's anti-Russia sanctions designated an oil refinery in Vadinar, Gujarat, which is owned by Nayara Energy. Russia's Rosneft owns a 49.5% stake in Nayara Energy.
* designated as a terrorist and extremist in Russia.
