New Delhi: Senior RSS and BJP leader Ram Madhav sparked a major controversy after remarks made at the Hudson Institute’s “New India Conference” in Washington earlier this week, where he suggested that India had made significant concessions to the United States on sensitive issues such as oil imports from Russia and Iran and acceptance of steep American tariffs.
During a panel discussion on India–U.S. relations, Madhav questioned Washington’s criticism of New Delhi, stating that India had “agreed to stop buying oil from Iran” and also “agreed to stop buying oil from Russia despite criticism from the opposition.”
The Congress accused the Modi government of compromising India’s strategic autonomy and alleged that the remarks amounted to an admission of yielding to U.S. pressure on matters involving national interest. The party also questioned why such sensitive issues were being discussed on a foreign platform instead of in Parliament.
As the backlash intensified, Madhav issued a clarification on social media the same day, admitting that his statement was “factually incorrect.” He clarified that India had never agreed to stop importing Russian oil and had vigorously protested the tariff measures, offering an apology for the error.
While exercising restraint over the U.S.’s earlier imposition of a 50% tariff. The remarks were quickly circulated in Indian media, prompting sharp reactions from opposition parties.
While the clarification helped contain immediate fallout, the episode has reignited debate over discipline in foreign policy messaging and the responsibility of political leaders speaking on global stages.