Mind your business: Kamal Haasan to Trump amid row over 'waiver' on Russia oil
India Today
In an open letter shared on the social media platform X, the founder of Makkal Needhi Maiam asked the US President to respect India's independence in its policy decisions. His remarks came after the US announced a 30-day waiver allowing Indian refineries to continue buying Russian oil.
Actor-politician Kamal Haasan hit out at US President Donald Trump over Washington’s move to grant India a temporary waiver related to purchases of Russian oil, saying India is a sovereign nation that does not take instructions from foreign governments.
In an open letter shared on the social media platform X, the founder of Makkal Needhi Maiam asked the US President to respect India’s independence in its policy decisions. His remarks came after the United States announced a 30-day "temporary" waiver allowing Indian refineries to continue buying Russian energy amid disruptions in global oil markets due to ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Addressing the US President directly, Kamal Haasan wrote a strongly worded message stressing India’s sovereignty and independence in foreign policy matters.
"We, the people of India, belong to a free and sovereign nation. We no longer take orders from distant foreign shores. Please mind your own business to the best of your abilities," he wrote.
On the decision to allow India to continue buying Russian oil, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the decision was taken while global energy markets remain volatile. In a post on X, he wrote: "Our allies in India have been good actors and have previously stopped buying sanctioned Russian oil. As we work to ease the temporary gap of oil supply around the world, we have temporarily permitted them to accept Russian oil that is already on the water."
The waiver comes amid concerns that energy prices could rise sharply due to escalating conflict in West Asia, which has disrupted supply routes and increased uncertainty in global oil markets.
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